Manuel Nogales, a representative of the Center for Higher Scientific Research in the Canary Islands, voiced concerns about potential losses of endemic flora and invertebrates from the fire that has affected the Tenerife Forest Crown since Tuesday. He centers his attention on six affected endemic plant species, with a possible seventh to be added: cabezón de Añavingo, pico de paloma, alamillo de Acentejo — three species native to the island — cedro canaria, garbancera canaria, and the Añavingo valley orchid.
Remember, all these species enjoy protection levels ranging from vulnerable to critically endangered. What worries the most is that the pico de paloma inhabits pine woodlands with only three known natural populations on the island, all impacted by the wildfire, suggesting that many surviving individuals may have been lost.
Pico de paloma, one of the most affected species, is noted in a caption accompanying a photo from Pinterest.
Nogales described three large living spaces in the affected area: a Canary pine forest that runs along the mountain range and forms the island’s main forest reserve; a mixed forest of Canary pine with holly, laurel, and faults, including laurel forest elements; and an old strip of laurel forest that once connected Teno to Anaga at elevations of 400 to 700 meters above sea level.
Of particular concern is the loss of laurel forest. Only a few well-preserved bastions remain at Anaga and Teno, at both ends, but also on the slope of Tigaiga, in Los Realejos, and other points that have shown significant recovery in recent years and are likely to have burned.
animals in danger
Regarding vertebrates, the expert notes that the situation has grown quite complicated because about twenty endemic species of the island and the Canary Islands live in the fire zone. There are at least five or six bat species involved, including some endemics such as the Canarian long-eared bat or the Madeira bat, which is found only in Tenerife, La Palma, and El Hierro and often roosts in pine forests. The long-eared or forest bat is a key example.
In terms of reptiles connected to this event, all three species that could lose their habitats are endemic to the Canary Islands: the typhoon lizard, Delalande perenquen, and the mullet, which is native to Tenerife.
The flames continue unabated in the area, a reminder of the immediate danger to wildlife as the fire rages on.
From a bird perspective, eight endemic species face threats, including the blue finch, whose juveniles are still developing. It is notable because it is native to Tenerife and is represented by another subspecies in Gran Canaria, and because it is currently in the breeding season. Besides the blue finch, the canary finch, the Great Spotted Woodpecker, and the Turqué and Rabiche pigeons are affected. The last two species rely on a significant pigeon reserve on the island, underscoring the strategic importance of protecting remaining habitats.
Nogales emphasizes that all animals able to move to new areas will need to adapt to the dramatic changes in their lifestyles caused by the fire and its aftermath. Invertebrates are acknowledged as a particularly overlooked group when assessing the broader ecological impact. While the area is not a major hotspot for invertebrate diversity, roughly 200 endemic invertebrate species could be affected by habitat loss and environmental disruption in the region.
Alongside these fauna, invertebrates that live and thrive not in the pine forests but in volcanic caves beneath the surface contribute to a biological richness unmatched elsewhere. The region hosts populations described as some of the richest in the world for endemism, a testament to the unique volcanic features that shape these ecosystems.
……
A note on the environment department’s contact: the area posts no further details here.