Alex Trelinski
CAMPAIGNERS against a controversial 2,200-home development at Cala Mosca on the Orihuela Costa want site clearance work paused after discovering several protected molluscs.
The Salvemos Cala Mosca group say the removal of vegetation from plots is putting the habitat of the endangered Turodella Mauretanica at risk.
They’ve filed a complaint with the Guardia Civil’s environment unit, Seprona, and sent images of the molluscs.
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“The elimination of vegetation would mean the destruction of a significant part of the population of this snail,” they insisted.
The Valencian environment ministry says that mollusc transfers to a special micro-reserve at the site have been taking place since early March, and 2,000 snails were moved last week.
They were discovered after work to clear illegal dump sites started.
The ministry said that wildlife experts visit Cala Mosca each week to monitor what is happening and they include people familiar with the Turodella Mauretanica.
Back in 2007, plans for Cala Mosca were suspended after the small snail was detected along with the existence of the cat’s head jarilla- a protected type of plant.
The developer- the Gomendio Group- altered its project to include a micro-reserve where both species could be preserved.
Gomendio emphasised that preservation measures were being ‘scrupulously complied with’ and that environmental recovery work was happening under the supervision of Valencian authorities.
