A Barbary ground squirrel was captured in Playa Honda in Lanzarote by Environmental Agents from the Cabildo of Lanzarote last week.
According to RedEXOS, which is a network developed for the monitoring and surveillance of exotic species in the archipelago, the animal arrived on September 1st in Lanzarote hidden in the bodywork of a rental car transported by a couple of tourists from Fuerteventura. Until now, Fuerteventura is the only island in the archipelago where the species has been found.
It was a resident of Playa Honda who alerted the Local Police of San Bartolomé, who communicated it to the AMA and they in turn to RedEXOS. The capture took place quickly and without the animal suffering any harm.
As it is a cataloged exotic species, it will be transferred to an authorized zoo. In Fuerteventura, it is estimated that there are hundreds of thousands of specimens distributed throughout the island, originating from a single pair that was released in the 1960s.
Any sighting of a Barbary ground squirrel outside of Fuerteventura should be reported to RedEXOS through its app or by email at redexos.medioambiente@gobiernodecanarias.org, or by phone/WhatsApp on (+34) 646 601 457