Company had to stop collecting wild chickens in Torrevieja because they couldn’t house 700 birds

The presence of seven hundred poultry roaming freely through the streets and parks of Torrevieja, Alicante, is a concern. This is the reason the city council sought to locate a residence for the birds, who, from a small group of approximately 40, were able to expand their population over the course of a decade. In order to implement their concept, they initiated a competition to eradicate the creatures from the streets. It was published on the state portal where these types of calls are displayed, and that is where Miguel Ángel Fernández, from the Galician company Ecoplanin Xestién de Información Ambiental, observed it: “Our concept was to enclose the chickens in a net and place them in the parks, as they sleep in the trees.” It occurred during our workday. He explains that we actually obtained approximately 1,000 meters of netting from a net factory located in the Baixas Rías Baixas. The issue was that, in addition to capturing the chickens with the utmost regard for their welfare, they also had to locate a location to transport them. They were unsuccessful: We were unable to locate a location that could accommodate 700 birds, and we were compelled to cease the collection of Torrevieja birds. It is not a simple task.

The chickens’ condition is uncertain, as this expert in the recovery and conservation of wildlife and invasive species explains. “It is difficult to transport animals between communities, and they cannot be housed in any location.” “We even attempted to locate a location for them in Galicia, but we were unsuccessful,” he explains. The risk of contracting avian flu has increased in Spain as a result of the recent detection of multiple outbreaks, which further complicates the process of transporting poultry. Consequently, they were compelled to abandon their search for a suitable location: “It was a pity.” We believe that the council had conducted a thorough investigation in addition to locating a suitable location, and that their responsibility was to transport the poultry in pristine condition to the designated location.

We completely respect the desire of the Torrevieja municipality to find a sanctuary, regardless of whether they are well or not. Unfortunately, we were incapable of achieving this. –

Ecoplanin has been involved in a variety of initiatives that aim to restore natural spaces and wildlife. It participated in the Golden Eagle Conservation Plan, among other things, as its superintendent explains.

Author: Derek Appleton