SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 16th July (EUROPA PRESS) –
18,000 years ago, during a time when the sea level was 120 metres lower, there existed other islands bridging the gap between the Canary Islands and Portugal. It was a time when Lanzarote and Fuerteventura were physically connected, a geographical reality that shifted as the sea level began to rise.
This intriguing revelation was shared by Francisco García-Talavera Casañas, a Biology PhD graduate from the University of La Laguna, also a geologist and paleontologist. He recently delivered a captivating talk on ‘Oceanic Islands of the Middle and South Atlantic’ as part of the Campus África event.
Opening his presentation with an emphasis on the islands of Macaronesia, which have a volcanic origin arising from the depths of the ocean through a series of volcanic eruptions.
Garcia-Talavera highlighted that Fuerteventura stands as the oldest of the Canary Islands, boasting an age of over 23 million years. It emerged, much like the other Macaronesian islands, as a result of several volcanic activities.
The professor further conveyed that the colonization of the Macaronesian islands occurred gradually, with the introduction of pollen, small insects, and the initial population of flying mammals including bats through the air. Additionally, life forms arrived via ocean currents.
Francisco García-Talavera mentioned that the Macaronesian islands share a common fauna, with one of the most distinctive species being the indigenous dragon tree, which thrived before being threatened by goats. Furthermore, the Canary Island date palm can be found across all these archipelagos. Among the fauna, a common sight is the fish species known as ‘viejas’.
Touching on intriguing historical tales, García-Talavera Casañas recounted anecdotes such as the planned visit of Charles Darwin to Tenerife, an endeavour that was thwarted by a cholera outbreak. This unfortunate event led the renowned author of ‘The Origin of Species’ to divert his voyage towards Cape Verde.
In the latter part of his discourse, he delved into insights about the islands of the Gulf of Guinea: Bioko, Principe, Sao Tome, and Annobon. These islands were explored and colonized by Portuguese navigators, with diverse discussions on their rich flora and fauna, as well as significant cultural elements.
