The Pitiusas lizard and the Gran Canaria giant lizard, two of the five threatened species that the LIFE REPTILES project seeks to protect

The Canary and Balearic Islands are home to endemic reptiles, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world. Their colors and shapes are an integral part of the island landscape and cultural heritage. Furthermore, they play vital roles in the islands' ecosystems, such as pollinating plants, dispersing seeds, and controlling insect pests. The problem is that these species are currently at risk due to the spread of two invasive snake species that feed on them and are expanding rapidly. In Gran Canaria, these are the California kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae) , and in the Balearic Islands, the horseshoe whip snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis) .

To address this threat, the European LIFE Reptiles project will implement various actions to conserve five endemic reptile species. Specifically, Gran Canaria will work to protect the Gran Canaria giant lizard (Gallotia stehlini) , the Gran Canaria skink (Chalcides sexlineatus) , and Boettger's gecko (Tarentola boettgeri) . Meanwhile, the Balearic Islands will focus on the Pitiusas wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis) and the Balearic wall lizard (Podarcis lilfordi) .

Completely eradicating invasive snakes is not currently feasible. For this reason, the project will work to combine urgent conservation measures with new tools to improve their control. One of the main actions is to create a network of 22 sanctuaries in the Canary and Balearic Islands—safe havens where invasive snakes cannot enter. Innovative techniques will also be used to better detect and control invasive snakes, such as the use of drones, artificial intelligence (AI), and environmental DNA technologies.

The project is coordinated by Gesplan and brings together a consortium of entities made up of the Gran Canaria Island Council, the Government of the Canary Islands, the Government of the Balearic Islands, the CSIC, the CREAF, the Spanish Herpetological Association (AHE), the Natura Parc Foundation and the Consortium for the Recovery of Fauna of the Balearic Islands (COFIB).

CREAF is participating in the project through a research team led by Oriol Lapiedra, which will study the genetic, morphological, and behavioral variation of the different populations of the Pitiusas lizard (Podarcis pityusensis) in the Balearic Islands. This knowledge will allow for a better understanding of the species' diversity and provide scientific information to guide conservation strategies. In addition, the team will contribute to improving the effectiveness of certain protection measures, such as systems for capturing invasive snakes.

This research team has been studying the Pitiusas lizard in the Balearic Islands for six years. In fact, one of their latest studies reveals that the snake now occupies 90% of Ibiza and can swim to the islets , "which is why this initiative is especially necessary," they add.

Protecting these species also requires the involvement of local people and organizations. Therefore, LIFE Reptiles will also promote collaboration between government agencies, scientific institutions, local communities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as support awareness-raising initiatives, volunteering, and citizen science.

The goal is that, by the end of the project, conservation measures will preserve at least 50% of the genetic and phenotypic diversity—the variety of characteristics such as color, size, etc.—of the species. This figure aims to increase to 75% through the actions planned in the After-LIFE plan, which will continue conservation efforts after the project concludes.