Читать книгу Walking on Tenerife. 45 walks including El Teide and GR131 онлайн

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Once the Guanche people arrived and colonised the islands over two thousand years ago, the forests suffered as much from clearance as from grazing by voracious sheep and goats. Following the Conquest in the 15th century, the Spaniards brought other domestic animals; of these the cats had a particularly devastating impact on the native wildlife, practically wiping out giant Canarian lizards, which have only recently been rescued from the edge of extinction. The largest lizards on Tenerife are slightly speckled with blue. Rabbits chew their way through the vegetation and appear regularly on Canarian menus.

National Parks

Lizards can be observed on many parts of Tenerife whenever the sun shines strongly

The Canary Islands contain a handful of national parks and many other protected areas. The Parque Nacional del Teide is in the middle of Tenerife, embracing the highest peaks. Other protected areas on the island include Parque Rural (Rural Park), Parque Natural (Natural Park), Paisaje Protegido (Protected Land), Reserva Natural Especial (Special Nature Reserve), Monumento Natural (Natural Monument), and so on. Prominent notices usually tell walkers when they are entering or leaving these areas. Very little territory lies outside one of these places! There are visitor centres where more information can be studied, and where interesting literature is on sale.