Roques de Anaga

Two rocks in the middle of the ocean, made up of a single block, well preserved and accessible only by water. Both the Roque de Tierra (or de Dentro), closer to the coast, and the Roque de Fuera, further away, defy the waves of the Atlantic with their majestic presence. Both rock formations together form one of the most characteristic ecosystems in the Canary Islands, and are of great scientific, geological, geomorphological and landscape importance. The vertebrates that live on these rocks are also of great importance, as they include several endemic species and some species, such as the Canary Island lizard of the Roque de Fuera (Gallotia galloti insulanagae), which are known to be found only here. Among the birds, populations of Bulwer's petrel (Bulweria bulwwerii), Madeiran storm petrel (Oceanodroma castro) and Cory's shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) are noteworthy. The Roque de Tierra is crowned by a spectacular grove of dragon trees, consisting of almost a hundred specimens. Due to the sensitivity and great value of the ecosystem, access to the reserve is only permitted for scientific purposes and with prior authorisation.