The Tenerife Island Council has put into effect a monitoring scheme for the Impressive Cliffs of Los Gigantes (Santiago del Teide) to enhance the oversight and surveillance of this area within the Teno Rural Park, home to endangered and exclusive species such as the Guincho bird and The impressive 700,000-year-old fossil discovered unexpectedly in Tenerife.
Four environmental officers and cooperating units will carry out preventative measures among vessels and users to create harmony between recreational and tourist activities in the area, thereby reducing the noise and environmental pollution they may generate, according to sources from the Tenerife Council as reported by EFE.
The island’s governing body points out that Tenerife harbours various bird species, like the fishing hawk, which select this part of the island for nesting and breeding from February to August, making it “essential” to take extreme precautions.
These precautions include a prohibition on approaching the coastline within 250 metres, except in Masca Bay and Punta de Teno, as well as avoiding noise and disturbances that could endanger the few nesting activities that occur.
Therefore, Tenerife Council’s environmental officers will restrict unauthorised vessels from getting close to the coastal region and the spots where ospreys breed, which necessitate specific conditions for successful breeding.
The Tenerife corporation highlights that these protection and surveillance measures are carried out by environmental officers from March to August, both on land to safeguard local flora and fauna, and at sea to preserve the ecological equilibrium of the marine ecosystem.
According to the Council, these duties are carried out using the Wildlife Vessel and with the assistance of the Ornithology and Natural History Group of the Canary Islands (GOHNIC), responsible for monitoring the guincho pairs and collecting data for scientific species research.
The island’s Environmental Minister mentions that apart from these tasks, information and awareness campaigns have been conducted since Easter.
