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Date Published: 03/02/2025

Bye bye birdie: Torrevieja takes action to relocate 700 free roaming chickens

Hundreds of wild hens, roosters and chicks have made the roundabouts and parks of Torrevieja home

Anyone who’s taken a drive through Torrevieja in Alicante may have been shocked to see hundreds of chickens roaming freely and happily throughout the city, usually perched on top of the roundabouts and quite oblivious to the roaring traffic around them.

The hens and roosters first appeared back in 2014, most likely having strayed from nearby wildlife parks and outlying farms, and they’ve simply never left. They’ve become a common sight to locals, unconcernedly weaving in and out of traffic, but Torrevieja City Council has decided to remove the birds at long last.

According to the local authorities, the chickens are breeding with abandon and as their numbers spiral out of control, the time has come to act. In fact, Torrevieja police have reported a few near-misses recently as cars swerve to avoid the birds.

To control the situation, the council will pay a specialist company 26,296 euros to relocate around 700 hens, roosters and chicks over the next 12 months.

According to the Animal Welfare Department, these birds are "temporarily forced to live in a hostile environment, shared with vehicles and people." By moving and wandering around public roads, parks, green areas and roads in search of food, "they put themselves in danger, as well as posing a clear danger to pedestrians and vehicles."

In Torrevieja, the birds tend to congregate aroundthe Parque de las Naciones, the Parque de la Estación and Villa Amalia. In the case of the Parque de las Naciones, there have been episodes in which the birds have reached the bypass of the N-332, creating very dangerous situations for drivers.

The same thing happens at the main roundabout of the Villa Amalia residential complex, which is currently experiencing a very substantial increase in traffic as an alternative to the bypass and Desiderio Rodríguez Avenue.

In other news: Alicante TRAM strikes extended to the afternoons

Images: Pixabay/Ayuntamiento de Torrevieja

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