GREFA denounces a reality: year after year there are thousands the animals trapped in the numerous ponds that exists throughout the country. It is a campaign that has broad support from all sections of society.
More than sixty entities and individuals have joined the environmental organization to launch a campaign promoted by this NGO with the aim of preventing environmental pollution death of wild animals in water storage ponds.
It is estimated that thousands of animals end up in this infrastructure every year, both full and empty, and in most cases they die by drowning or being stuck because they cannot get out on their own. This threat also has consequences pets and can even pose a threat to human safety. who visit them often the voice.
The danger of water ponds
Among the entities and individuals supporting the launch of this campaign are environmental, conservation and wildlife groups, as well as researchers, environmental agents and social media influencers. The support comes from more than twenty provinces, belonging to thirteen autonomous communities.
The aim of this initiative is to ensure that the largest number of allegations are raised in the public participation process that the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) currently has open regarding the draft Royal Decree that will regulate the technical safety standards for rafts.
The deadline for filing charges ends on September 30 and to facilitate this process, GREFA has a detailed document with suggestions and observations with which everyone can participate in the current public information phase of the future royal decree. This document can be downloaded in format PDF.
The organization encourages any person or organization to present the document prepared with the support of the signatory entities and individuals (or to raise their own allegations) within the specified deadline. via the following link powered by MITECO.
An unambitious design
The aim of this campaign is to make the future royal decree the definitive and general legal instrument nip the problem of wildlife deaths in aquatic ponds in the budregardless of its specific characteristics.
«At this moment, the draft royal decree is being presented by the MITECO focuses most of the content on safety regarding preventing ruptures that could cause catastrophic events or serious damage to the environment. However, regarding the preventing the fall and death of animals and even people in these fall infrastructuresIt is approached in a very superficial, non-ambitious and non-technical way,” explains Carlos Cuéllar, campaign coordinator.
One of the proposals in the impeachment document is the mandatory installation of escape ramps in all water storage pondsplacing special emphasis on certain minimum technical requirements that guarantee its dual functionality (both for the biodiversity and domestic fauna, but also for humans).
It is also suggested the installation of wildlife passages in the fencesproviding access to said slopes, to mobilize the flow of animals to safe areas with escape systems, or creating nearby and accessible water points, but outside the area’s fence the voiceto discourage animals from accessing this infrastructure.
Environmental organizations, state security forces and agencies, and content creators on social networks are coming have been addressing this issue on a national scale for some time. In 2021, the Environment and Urban Planning Unit of the Public Prosecution Service highlighted the severity of mortality among protected wildlife in the region. the voice for irrigation.
«It is worth highlighting the tragedy of these slow deaths among the animals, in the event that they are full the voice They are victims of drowning and if they are empty, they die of starvation, dehydration, heatstroke, exhaustion or injuries caused by their attempts to escape,” says Cuéllar.
Endangered species among the victims
The organization has been paying special attention to this problem for years, holding meetings with governments to demand and track solutions installing exhaust systems on rafts where species that this NGO is working to restore have died from drowning, most of which are protected by law and some are even officially classified as endangered, such as the Bonelli’s Eagle, the Red Kite and the Black Vulture.
«Specimens of this species and many others have been found caught dead or alive in water ponds thanks to GPS devices “which we have placed in the framework of projects supported by state and European funds,” reports Cuéllar, who emphasizes the work of detection and awareness of the problem carried out by conservation groups at the local level and young influencers at social networks.
The organization thanks all the people and entities who have supported its campaign and encourages those who have not yet done so not to miss the opportunity to to insist on the adoption of a truly useful and appropriate Royal Decree.
In this sense, The NGO asks MITECO to reconsider the approach of this regulation and take advantage of the opportunity to address a serious environmental and public safety problem that is causing increasing social concerns.
‘Otherwise it will be necessary to allow more years, more economic and human resources and more bureaucratic and legal procedures to pass as we continue see how a large number of animals die in the ponds every year and unfortunately sometimes even people,” concludes Cuéllar.
All citizens have the right to make proposals on this issue, or at least support what the environmental organization has created. It’s time to do something about that Deaths in water ponds are part of a sad but surmountable past.