The Cabildo of Lanzarote, chaired by Oswaldo Betancort, held an urgent meeting of the Insular Hunting Council on Friday following the temporary closure of hunting activities prompted by the indiscriminate placement of poisons in various locations within the municipality of Haría. This has led to the deaths of both wild and domestic animals in recent weeks.

Representation and Discussions

The extraordinary session, chaired by the Council’s hunting advisor, Samuel Martín, included broad representation from involved sectors: hunting associations, state security bodies, the Government of the Canary Islands, the Insular State Director Pedro Viera, environmental technicians, and agents from the Cabildo, alongside representatives from the Haría Town Hall and the Ecologists in Action Association.

Decisions Made

During the meeting, following a thorough technical discussion, the Council unanimously approved two key resolutions. Firstly, the temporary closure of hunting activities in Haría will be extended for an additional fifteen days, with a reopening scheduled for 4 September, contingent on the approval of technical reports. Secondly, the days available for hunting this season will be expanded, with 30 October and 2 November designated as extraordinary days for the hunting of rabbits and partridges across the island.

Both decisions will be formally processed and submitted to the Government of the Canary Islands for validation and official endorsement.

A Shared Responsibility

President Oswaldo Betancort expressed gratitude in a press release on Friday for the involvement of all members of the Insular Hunting Council, noting that they have demonstrated foresight in this critical moment when the priority must always be the defence of public health and the preservation of the island’s biodiversity. Betancort stressed that “Haría is under intensive surveillance; however, new poisoning incidents have still occurred, obliging us to maintain the utmost caution.”

On his part, advisor Samuel Martín conveyed his appreciation “to the teams who have worked tirelessly in recent weeks to trace and detect baits and affected animals under challenging and distressing circumstances for the hunting community and the public at large.” Martín also remarked that “today’s unanimous agreements reflect our collective responsibility in seeking solutions, as well as our commitment to upholding legality and the safety of both people and animals.”

The technical representative of the regional government attending the meeting endorsed the suitability of the measures adopted by the Cabildo.

Additionally, hunters were reminded not to bury any of their dogs found dead under suspicious circumstances, as this would compromise the chain of custody for the necessary evidence in the investigation.