Giant lizard of Tenerife

In the late 20th century, in 1996, when it was thought that all species of vertebrates living in Tenerife were known, a team of naturalists observed giant lizards in Teno.

This is a survivor of the original fauna of the Canary Islands, an exclusive treasure of our nature that is at risk of extinction and that, if it disappears from Tenerife due to lack of adequate management and protection, will disappear from the planet.

“The biodiversity that exists on the island of Tenerife includes its own unique species, such as this reptile, which was thought to have been extinct for years, which is why protection must be intense, and in this case, the presence of other introduced fauna can cause significant harm to its reproduction by feeding on its eggs,” said the counselor.

Gallotia intermedia is an impressive reptile over half a meter in length that, although it was once distributed throughout the island as shown by its fossil remains, is now highly threatened and only survives on the marine cliffs of two protected natural areas in Tenerife: the Rural Park of Teno and the Natural Monument of Montaña de Guaza, which are separated by more than 30 kilometers. The Cabildo, in addition to the work specific to the biodiversity area, based on the control and monitoring of these colonies, gives special prominence to carrying out outreach actions to inform the public of the existence of this species and to gain their support and involvement in its conservation.