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Terrestrial Fauna

Today, there are more than 12,000 species of terrestrial animals in the Canary Islands, with more than 3,000 endemic species. Our animal biodiversity is unique, but it has been and continues to be under great threat.

For several decades we have been witnessing what scientists have called the “Sixth Mass Extinction”. Over the course of Earth’s history, five major extinctions have occurred due to natural causes. Currently, humans have already wiped out thousands of species in record time and we are bringing many more to the brink of extinction through our economic activities, which plunder nature across the planet, destroying habitats and polluting the environment; other activities such as the wildlife trade or the use of toxic substances, for example, for intensive agriculture, also have a direct impact on the loss of animal biodiversity.

At the Fundación Canarina we believe that it is a priority to undertake actions for the conservation of our fauna and the natural environments in which they live, for example, through initiatives for the recovery and reintroduction of species in their natural environment, the installation of refuges and drinking troughs, the conservation of habitats, the carrying out of studies and research or actions to raise awareness.

Photos: Jorge Caceres