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Natural Monuments
Monumento Natural del Roque de Garachico
Description
El Roque de Garachico, icon of the municipality, is located around 300m out at sea.
It is hugely significant in the culture and identity of the town and port of Garachico, standing out as the most recognisable geographical landmark in the area, visible from almost anywhere in the municipality.
Recommended time to visit: All year round.
Geology
To understand how this chunk of rock ended up separated from the land, we must go back to when the Isla Baja was formed, which today contains the towns of Garachico, Los Silos and Buenavista.
It was during this period that the La Culata cliffs were brought inland by a series of eruptions with huge quantities of very liquid lava. This lava travelled quickly towards the sea, falling from the cliffs and greatly extending the island’s coastline.
Over time, motion from the sea eroded the shoreline of this new land mass, but the Roque de Garachico remained, due to its composition and morphology, and has stood alone since then.
Flora and fauna
The east-facing side of the rock is protected from the prevailing winds, and so contains tabaibal-cardonal, with some good examples of balsam spurge (Euphorbia balsamifera) and cardón (Euphorbia canariensis), along with St John’s Wort, magarza (Argyranthemumfrutescens), barrilla (Mesembryanthemumcrystallinum), cornical (Periplocalaevigata), verode (Kleinianeriifolia), esparraguera (Asparagus umbellatus) and grand statice (Limoniastrummonopetalum).
In more rocky and exposed areas there are species that have adapted to high salinity, such as sea lettuce (Ulvalactuca), tomillomarino (Frankeniacapitata), perejilmarino (Crithmummaritimum), siempreviva de mar (Limoniumpectinatum), and the endangered siemprevivaimbricada (Limoniumimbricatum).
The rock is hugely important for certain seabirds, as it is home to breeding colonies of species that are rare on the islands, such as Bulwer's petrels.
Other birds to reproduce there include Scopoli's shearwater, the yellow-legged gull, and probably little shearwaters and Madeiran storm petrels. Species that build their nests on the rock include the rock dove, plain swift and kestrel.
There are three species of reptiles: geckos, Gallot’s lizard, and the common skink.
Of note among invertebrates is the chuchanga de dos dientes, an endemic snail on the island present in areas of laurel forest. It is also home to an endemic species from the Canary Islands, the polillacanaria de estuche (Canary estuche moth), the female of which spends its life inside a small plant structure as it does not have wings.
Technical information sheet
Surface area
5 hectares (<0,01% of the island)
Species of interest
Balsam spurge (Euphorbia balsamifera), cardón (Euphorbia canariensis), St John’s Wort, magarza (Argyranthemumfrutescens), barrilla (Mesembryanthemumcrystallinum), cornical (Periplocalaevigata), verode (Kleinianeriifolia), esparraguera (Asparagus umbellatus), grand statice (Limoniastrummonopetalum), sea lettuce (Ulvalactuca), tomillomarino (Frankeniacapitata), perejilmarino (Crithmummaritimum), siempreviva de mar (Limoniumpectinatum), siemprevivaimbricada (Limoniumimbricatum), Bulwer's petrels, Scopoli's shearwater, yellow-legged gull, Little shearwaters, Madeiran storm petrels, rock dove, plain swift, kestrel, geckos, Gallot’s lizard (Gallotiagalloti), common skink, chuchanga de dos dientes snail, polillacanaria de estuche moth.
Ecosystems
Tabaibal-cardonal.
Regulations
To consult permits for use and updated regulations for this Protected Natural Area, visit the official website of the Government of the Canary Islands.
Municipalities
- Garachico