La Tahonilla, Tenerife’s native flora and fauna recovery centre
Tenerife has its own wildlife recovery centre and nursery for native flora in La Tahonilla.
The origins of the La Tahonilla environmental conservation centre go back to 1940, when the Island Council of Tenerife founded the island nursery in La Laguna with the aim of reforesting the highlands of Tenerife.
It later moved to its current location, on the La Esperanza road, and since then has worked to restore forests, scrubland and coastal ecosystems, handling more than 80 different species of plants and animals.
Nowadays, the Tenerife Island Plant Nursery produces endemic and native flora from the island for ecological restoration projects. The nursery produces more than 30,000 plants a year to strengthen endangered populations and restore degraded areas of the island.
In addition to this work, the nursery also offers visitors the possibility of purchasing native plants for their own personal use, giving them the opportunity to become part of this movement to conserve and raise awareness of the island’s natural heritage.
La Tahonilla is also home to the Centre for the Recovery of Wild Fauna (CRFS), which takes in, rehabilitates and reintroduces sick and injured wild animals found by diving clubs, marinas, fishermen’s guilds, public bodies or anyone else on the island.
Staff at the centre nurse these injured or sick animals back to health and then release them back into their natural environment.
At present, the centre treats more than 2,000 animals a year, representing more than 70 different species, mainly birds and sea turtles, with a recovery rate of close to 70%.
The CRFS also has a volunteer programme to support the centre’s staff in caring and attending to the animals and organises activities to raise awareness about wildlife protection and recovery.
The work of the La Tahonilla Centre therefore plays a dual role in the protection of our flora and fauna:
- Firstly, the rehabilitation of sick and injured animals and the production of protected plants are crucial pillars in the conservation of the biodiversity of Tenerife.
- Secondly, its outreach and awareness-raising programme promotes citizen participation in this movement for the protection of nature.
If you get the chance, Tenerife ON encourages you to investigate the La Tahonilla Centre and know its valuable work in the protection of Tenerife’s wild flora and fauna.
Here is more information on how to get to or contact La Tahonilla:
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- Address: Carretera General de La Esperanza, Km 0.4, 38291, La Laguna, Tenerife.
- Contact telephone numbers:
- Centre for the Recovery of Wild Fauna: 900 282 228.
- Island Plant Nursery: 922 445 780/81
- Websites:
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