The first young of the Pitiusa lizard («Podarcis pityusensis») have hatched as part of the «ex situ» pilot breeding project promoted by the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment in collaboration with Barcelona Zoo.
According to a press release from the Regional Ministry, the 12 birds, from five different clutches, incubated for 42 days, are the first breeding groups in captivity. They are the first breeding groups in captivity of this endemic species of the Pitiusas.
The aim of this initiative is to ensure the survival of the Pitiusa lizard, which is under threat due to the introduction of invasive ophidians.
To this end, 17 healthy and genetically diverse specimens were captured last month (ten from Ibiza and seven from Formentera) and transferred to the zoo to begin the breeding programme.
The director general of Natural Environment and Forest Management, Anna Torres, stressed that ‘initiatives like these allow us to work on the viability of repopulations with this species’, as part of the global strategy against invasive species.
Torres has announced that this year the creation of four refuges in the Pitiusas is foreseen, where the specimens bred in captivity will be introduced. These spaces will be protected against snakes and will have the necessary resources to ensure the development of the lizards.
The hatchlings, which weighed between 0.6 and 0.8 grams at birth, have been identified by Barcelona Zoo's technical staff and transferred to adapted terrariums. According to Tomàs Bosch, head of the Government's Species Protection Service, they have shown 'a quick adaptation to the environment and a good general state of health'.
This project forms part of the agreement signed in 2024 between the Conselleria and the Barcelona Zoo Foundation, joining other similar initiatives, such as the captive breeding of the 'ferreret' ('Alytes muletensis'), another Balearic endemic.
The initiative also includes scientific studies to further our understanding of the species' ecology, genetics and conservation, involving the Spanish Herpetological Association (AHE), the Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), Cofib technicians and Government and Zoo specialists.
The Pitiusa lizard, a symbol of Ibiza and Formentera's fauna, was included in the Balearic Catalogue of Threatened Species in the 'vulnerable' category in 2023, alongside the Balearic lizard ('Podarcis lilfordi'), due to pressure from invasive species such as snakes.