Are there snakes on Gran Canaria?

A pair of researchers with Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, has found that an invasive species of snake has killed off nearly all of the reptiles native to Gran Canaria. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Julien Piquet and Marta López-Darias describe their comparison of habitats impacted by the importation of an invasive snake species and those that have not. In 1998, California kingsnakes were imported onto the island of Gran Canaria; subsequently, some escaped or were released intentionally by pet owners. Since that time, the snakes have mated, reproduced and populated the island. The snake is considered to be harmless to humans, despite occasionally biting people, and have thus become a popular pet. In this new effort, the researchers noted that reptile populations on Gran Canaria—the third largest of the Canary Islands—have been in decline. They found, for example, that the population of giant lizards on Gran Canaria was 90 percent lower than nearby islands, skinks were 80 percent lower and geckos were 50 percent lower. The researchers note that their findings also highlight the need for stronger regulations regarding importing invasive species, most particularly in places with sensitive ecosystems such as those found on islands. The findings show the scale of the impact an invasive species can have.