The Cabildo of Lanzarote and the Lanzarote Hunters’ Society have agreed to gradually lift the temporary ban on hunting activities in the municipality of Haría. This suspension was enforced in recent weeks due to a series of poisoning incidents affecting wildlife.
On Thursday afternoon, the president of the Cabildo, Oswaldo Betancort, and the councillor for the Environment and Hunting, Samuel Martín, held a productive meeting at the Convent of Santo Domingo in Teguise with representatives of the over a thousand licensed hunters on the island. The meeting facilitated the development of a consensus-based roadmap, with the key focus being the zoning of the northern region of Lanzarote to establish authorised hunting areas in locations that have not experienced poisoning incidents.
The technicians from the Hunting Department are already working on detailed maps to identify viable spaces for this activity. This documentation will soon be submitted to the Government of the Canary Islands to secure the necessary approval from the relevant authorities. The Cabildo aims to enable this exceptional route ahead of the shotgun hunting season, scheduled for 28 September.
Since early August, there have been 24 recorded cases of poisoning, affecting both wildlife and domestic animals — including hunting dogs, Canary crows, pet dogs, cats, and hedgehogs — which led to the temporary suspension in Haría.
Appreciation for the Hunting Sector
Both the president and the councillor expressed gratitude for the constructive attitude of the hunters during the meeting. Betancort emphasised that “the temporary closure is the result of the actions of one or more criminals who will be identified and must answer for the damage they are causing to the entire Lanzarote society.” He also highlighted that “the Lanzarote hunter serves as a model: they engage in sustainable, responsible activities and exemplify sportsmanship.”
Betancort concluded that he left the meeting with “a list of tasks to continue working on, both from the presidency of the Cabildo and the Parliament of the Canary Islands,” referencing issues raised during the meeting such as training fields, potential updates to hunting seasons, the promotion of the Podenco Canario breed, and the need to address amendments to the Canary Islands Hunting Law, among other matters.
For his part, Councillor Samuel Martín expressed his belief that “the zoning work proposed by the Cabildo will receive the Government of the Canary Islands’ approval as soon as possible and will be included in the new hunting regulations.” He also noted that the island institution plans to extend the hunting period by a couple of days across the island to compensate for the closure in the municipality of Haría.
Ongoing Collaboration
Both Betancort and Martín recalled that this significant issue has been effectively addressed thanks to the close collaboration between the Cabildo and the Hunters’ Society. Their relationship has strengthened in recent months through joint initiatives such as wheat sowing, the installation of watering stations, and the promotion of responsible hunting practices, with further projects continuing through the establishment of new working groups following the hunting season.
“The outcome of this episode confirms that by working together, we can provide balanced responses to a sector that is an essential part of Lanzarote’s culture and environment,” concluded Oswaldo Betancort.
