Fauna of Fuerteventura

Butterflies

One highlight among a variety of butterflies is the Euchloe charlonia which originates from north Africa and is only found in the eastern islands.

The bath white and the African migratory are also commonly found while among the nymphalids, the painted lady makes a frequent appearance.

Endemic Canary Islands species of nocturnal habits are the crocallis matilae, rhynchina canariensis and abrostola canariensis.

For size and colour, three migratory species stand out - the monarch butterfly and the smaller and rarer African monarch and hypolimnas missipus. There is also the azul rabilarga and small copper.

Marine fauna

A large number of species are spread throughout the coastal waters of Fuerteventura although there has been a decline in the numbers of most species.

Species that can be found include anglerfish, scaldfish, cuttle fish, mullet, salma, moray eels and parrot fish and larger species such as turtles, stingrays, rope sharks and even dolphins.

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The Canary Islands chat is found on rocky hillsides and there is though to be only about 750 pairs on Fuerteventura. In the same environment is the trumpet finch and sometimes one of the 20 or so pairs of Egyptian vultures that remain on the Fuerteventura can be spotted.

There are many other examples of birdlife on Fuerteventura.

Reptiles

Reptiles are represented by the striped Canary Islands gecko, the Atlantic lizard and the native stink, the rarest and most scattered due the reduction of agriculture and stone walls which has deprived them of cool places of rest.

Mammals

Most mammals on Fuerteventura were introduced by man and many quite recently like the Algerian hedgehog in 1892 and the Barbary ground squirrel in 1965.

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