Far from belief, Tenerife is a paradise for nature lovers, as described by Jean-Marie Pelt in his New World Tour of an environmentalist, "Tenerife is a kind of world in miniature, beautiful ecology lesson with its extraordinary plants. "
Tenerife has 48 protected areas occupying 47.5% of its territory.
A remarkable fauna and flora have settled bringing together over 50 animal species (reptiles, birds) and own endemic plant in the Canary Islands which 12 of them are exclusive to the site Teide.
The flora
The vegetation of Tenerife is very diverse and many plants are endemic to the Canary Islands. And the Canary Island pine (Pinus canariensis) forms immense forests in the interior of the island. In the south more desert, there is a majority of cacti and prickly pears. Another species of plant emblematic of the Canary Islands is the dragon tree (Dracaena draco) which you can admire the oldest specimen of Tenerife in Icod de los Vinos. And most of the tourists who visited the archipelago marveled at a beautiful flower, “Bird of Paradise” (Strelitzia reginae) ... without forgetting the famous viper Tenerife.
The heights of the Teide, Tenerife, are the habitat of a violet species that grows to over 2000 m altitude. She has other unique companions in their way, such as broom and red or viper tajinaste of Wildpret.
The briar wood (laurel) which surrounds the Teide National Park is composed of species such as laurel, linden, tree ferns and yew. The laurel forest is a plant biotope endangered in the Mediterranean but that can be admired in Tenerife. The laurel forest is a relic of the forests that covered it was 20 million years northern Africa and southern Europe. This type of primitive forest extends to the islands of La Gomera and La Palma.
Wildlife
The island of Tenerife has few typical mammals. Near Teide found wild cats (Felix sylvestris) and rabbits returned to the wild. Corsican sheep have recently been introduced in Tenerife mountains proved very harmful since it tackles the local wildlife. Its hunting is prohibited, but it is a violent predator which is trying to get rid repatriating the last individuals.
There was never a wild or poisonous snakes. Note also that the lizards are plentiful on the island. The bird world is richer with some species typical of the Canary Islands, such as the wild variant of the canary (Serinus canaria) or the blue chaffinch (Fringilla teydea).
Wildlife Waterscape
In its waters, one can navigate the whales and dolphins; In fact, Tenerife has 19 of the 79 species distributed worldwide, including a stable colony of pilot whales or pilot whales, about 250 specimens. One of the main attractions of Tenerife is the presence of dolphins and pilot whales near the port of Los Cristianos in the south. You can meet many of these animals between Tenerife and La Gomera where the sea reaches a depth of 3,000 meters. Many boats offer to see these marine mammals closely, dolphins and whales readily approaching boats.
Tenerife waters are home to 5 of the 7 sea turtle species that exist in the world: the loggerhead, Kemp’s, turtle Atlantic hawksbill and leatherback turtles.