hedgehogsONE OF THE CAUSES OF ITS PROLIFERATION IS OVEREXPLOITATION.

Those responsible for the Ecologists in Action project “SUPPORT THE SEA” They stated that the greatest “ecological catastrophe” What is in the Canary Islands is in the sea with the plague of lime urchins, that have been eaten between a 70 and a 80 percent of algae.

The areas of rocks covered by algae are the ecosystem “More productive” that was in the sea and now they are left as a “marine desert”.

Promoting knowledge of this ecological problem and enhancing the control of hedgehogs are some of the objectives with which the Ecologists in Action project began., which has been running for three years and recently received the magazine's award “My Investment Portfolio” as one of the best environmental initiatives.

From Ecologists in Action they explained that there are “quite an urban legend” with the reasons that have caused the hedgehog population to skyrocket, But the reality is that “they carry all their lives” and the fundamental cause is the disappearance of predators.

The main reason is overexploitation with fishing, although there is also the widespread custom of collecting animals that are not eaten, like the giant conch shells that people put in them “on top of the television” to decorate, lamented the project manager.

The group indicates that they have carried out different campaigns in various parts of the island to control the hedgehog and that they intend to launch a marine network of protected micro-areas for the use of diving., an activity that has a positive impact on the ecosystem.

The project includes talks at the institutes and a mobile exhibition, where teenagers are encouraged to dive with fins, glasses and tube and those who are seen “looser” they are made a “diving baptism”, a dive with all the equipment along with a monitor who guides you throughout the activity.