The colony of monk parakeets in Malaga province is continuing to grow at a rapid rate, warn Antonio Román Muñoz, professor of Biology at Malaga University (UMA). His study estimates that there are now 5,000 - between 3,500 and 3,700 of which live in Malaga city - and he believes that these figures show that "urgent action" is required.
According to Muñoz, the climate is perfect for them to thrive but this is having an adverse affect on other wildlife in the area. "They eat practically everything," he said, explaining that they affect not only trees and insects, but also crops.
At present, Malaga town hall is removing nests from problem areas, a measure Muñoz describes as "counterproductive".