Hotels, businesses and residents across Fuerteventura are being asked to reduce unnecessary outdoor lighting during October and November to help protect young Cory’s shearwaters as they leave their nests and head out to sea for the first time.
The Fuerteventura Cabildo has launched its annual protection campaign during one of the most vulnerable periods in the birds’ life cycle.
Young shearwaters naturally navigate towards the ocean using the light reflected from the sea and sky. However, artificial lighting from hotels, streets, homes and other buildings can disorient them.
Confused birds can end up flying inland, colliding with buildings or landing on roads and other urban areas, where they may be unable to take off again without assistance.
Hotels and businesses asked to help
The Cabildo is appealing particularly to establishments and communities close to the coastline to switch off or reduce unnecessary exterior lighting wherever possible.
Hotels and other tourism businesses have an important role because many of Fuerteventura’s largest resorts are located close to areas used by seabirds.
Residents are also being encouraged to reduce outdoor lighting during the key fledging period. The objective is not to leave populated areas without essential lighting, but to minimise unnecessary light pollution that could interfere with the birds’ natural navigation.
146 birds recovered last year
The annual campaign has already demonstrated the scale of the problem.
During the 2025 campaign, 146 Cory’s shearwaters were recovered in Fuerteventura, with around 89% subsequently rehabilitated and successfully returned to the wild.
Wildlife teams and volunteers respond when disoriented birds are reported, assessing their condition before they can be released safely.
The campaign is particularly important during October and November, when young birds leave their nesting areas and attempt to reach the ocean.
What should you do if you find one?
Residents and holidaymakers who discover a stranded shearwater are advised not to attempt to throw or launch the bird back into the air.
Instead, they should contact the emergency services by calling 112 and provide the location of the bird so that trained personnel can deal with it safely.
Anyone approaching a stranded bird should avoid unnecessary handling and keep pets and other people away while waiting for assistance.
An unusual challenge for a tourism island
Cory’s shearwaters spend much of their lives at sea but return to islands including Fuerteventura to breed.
The combination of important nesting areas and brightly illuminated coastal resorts creates a particular conservation challenge during the fledging season. Reducing unnecessary artificial light for just a few weeks can therefore make a huge difference.
The campaign also gives visitors an opportunity to play a small but direct role in protecting one of the seabirds most closely associated with the Canary Islands.
