The Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, under the supervision of Carlos Tarife in the Animal Welfare department, revealed that in December, a total of 1,037 pigeons were captured within the municipality and handed over to the Tenerife North Airport Fauna Control Service. The purpose was to enhance the physical capabilities of the falcons responsible for ensuring the security of the thousands of passengers arriving on the island.
Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez explained, “These captures, done through selective trapping cages, are essential to manage the presence of these birds in the city, and thus, ensure optimal public health conditions for the population.”
Meanwhile, Carlos Tarife, the Councilor for Animal Welfare, noted, “The number of cages will be increased and rotated across different parts of the city to control this species, which can pose public health risks and cause significant damage with their excrement to historical spaces and monuments that hold historical and cultural significance, and which we must protect and preserve.”
Furthermore, the mayor urged the public “not to feed the pigeons” as it is the key to “resolving the environmental quality issues they cause” and highlighted that “currently, there are 42 cages set up throughout the municipality.”
It is important to mention that in December, over a dozen tasks were carried out, including cage installation, area inspections, and removing roosters and hens, alongside capturing pigeons. Three specialized bird control technicians were required for all these operations.
