Council Releases Pardela Birds in Species Protection Drive

More than thirty grey petrels have been set free so far in a campaign that runs each year during October and November.

The Cabildo of Fuerteventura, through its Environment Department, is carrying out the protection campaign for the grey petrel (Calonectris borealis). To date, more than thirty individuals have been rescued and released, thanks to the collaboration of citizens and institutions, with the majority of the birds found in the municipality of La Oliva.

Today the Environment Council released six of these petrels in the presence of Environment Councilor Carlos Rodríguez and students from the Public Adult Education Center of North Fuerteventura.

The rescued birds receive care at the Wildlife Recovery Center of the La Oliva Biological Station. Most are in good health, are ringed for monitoring, and are then released. A smaller number arrive with dehydration, trauma, parasitism or other ailments and require a longer period of veterinary treatment before they can be set free.

The Petrel Protection Campaign

As in previous years, the Environment Council has launched the annual protection campaign for this species, publicising the rescue protocol for injured grey petrels, which are listed under the Special Protection Species category, Annex I of the EU Birds Directive, and the Bern Convention.

The campaign informs the public on what to do if a petrel is found on the ground:

• Call 112 to activate the rescue protocol and give the exact location.
• If possible, place the bird in a ventilated cardboard box in a quiet spot. Do not give it water or food.
• Specialized Environment staff will collect the bird, ensure its recovery, and release it back to the sea under optimal conditions.

“The grey petrel is a natural treasure of the Canary Islands and part of the archipelago’s identity. We must protect it through a collective commitment where every action counts to guarantee its survival,” said Environment Councilor Carlos Rodríguez.

About the Grey Petrel

The Atlantic grey petrel (Calonectris borealis) is one of the most emblematic seabirds of the archipelago. It is migratory by nature, spending most of its life at sea and coming ashore only to breed. Each pair lays a single egg per year and devotes all its effort to raising the chick, facing numerous threats such as marine pollution, collisions with power lines, and predation.

The most critical period occurs during the first flights of the chicks, between October and November. Light‑pollution disorients many fledglings, causing them to fall to the ground where they become vulnerable to traffic, predators, or starvation, as they cannot lift off on their own.

The Environment Council urges the public to keep collaborating in future campaigns and to continue reporting sightings of at‑risk petrels to 112. Protecting the grey petrel is essential for the biodiversity and ecological balance of Fuerteventura’s coasts.