During the inspection visits to decide the tree specimens to be transplanted prior to commencing the clearing of the old railway track, it was detected the presence of several specimens of the Hermann tortoise (Testudo hermanni).

This species is protected by Royal Decree 439/1990 and is included on the Balearic Catalogue of Protected Species, so extreme caution had to be taken not to harm any of the individuals which may be present in the area of the works

In order to prevent injuries caused by the mechanical tools to be used during the clearing works, or later by earthmoving works, all the personnel at the worksite was informed of the presence of this species in the area.

A protocol of action was defined and it was distributed to the managers, surveyors and subcontractors. It was a set of actions and instructions to be performed everyday prior to commencing the clearing, such as walking around the works area in order to find specimens, In the event of seeing a Hermann’s tortoise, the protocol indicated that it should be reported to the Works Manager, so that the specimen could be picked up from the works area and transported to the worksite office.

The animals were kept in a cardboard box in a calm and cool place until they were collected by specialists from the COFIB (Consortium for the Recovery of the Fauna of the Balearic Islands). Additionally, the receipts for handing over the animals were filed, as well as records of the dates and the condition of the individuals at the time of their handing them over.