SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Oct 19 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Cabildo de Tenerife, through the Natural Environment and Security Management area, and with the technical coordination of the La Tahonilla Wildlife Recovery Center, has launched the 2021 campaign to protect and help the Cinderella Atlantic Shearwater ( Calonectris borealis), which in the months of October and November undertake their first flight to the sea, where they will remain for about four years.
This year’s campaign emphasizes citizen action in identifying and reporting the fall of chickens, as well as the decrease in lights in coastal areas.
The cinderella shearwater is common on all the islands, it is in good health, its populations are large and its adaptation improves, however, it suffers a serious problem related to its habitat and the systemic urbanization of the coastline that makes when they take their first flight, Always in hours of darkness and guided by the stars, they confuse the lighting of streets, buildings and businesses and crash by accident, falling to the ground from where they cannot take flight again.
“The collection campaigns for Cinderella shearwater chickens collect between 2,000 and 2,500 specimens each year, most of which are helped to fly back, and this work is carried out in approximately three,” said Minister Isabel García in a note. , who added that “the organization of this campaign is in charge of the Wildlife Recovery Center of the Cabildo de Tenerife, and is carried out in coordination with different municipal administrations, through the local police, as well as the Insular Office of the Volunteering, and other associations and volunteering “.
The Minister of Natural Environment Management this week held a coordination meeting with the staff of the La Tahonilla Wildlife Recovery Center, in charge of coordinating the campaign, which was also attended by representatives of municipalities, civil protection operations, and members of regular conservation associations in the campaign, as well as biologists and ornithologists.
With this system, efforts will be focused in the coming days on coordinating rescues, locating the specimens, collecting them, assessing their health and releasing them so that the specimens reach their final destination.
TURN OFF HOUSING AND BUILDING LIGHTS
At the same time, it will insist on the measures that citizens can adopt to reduce accidents and thus allow less intervention by ‘rescuers’, such as reducing or turning off powerful lights on the exterior of homes, buildings and businesses, as well as warning the 900 282 228 or the center’s own telephone number, 922 44 57 77, to alert the chickens that are on the ground.
In this sense, it is recommended to take due precautions before trying to catch a fallen specimen, taking into account the powerful beak they have and the damage they can cause.
For this, the use of gloves or the use of a towel is essential and later, place it in a ventilated box, in a cool place, and take it to a local police or call the indicated telephones directly so that the Wildlife Recovery Center go get it.
The Cabildo highlights the coordination and support of the local police of all municipalities, Civil Protection groups, volunteers, Red Cross, and emergency services, so that the shearwater campaign is carried out effectively and with the least number of possible casualties.
