There's not a huge range of Species to be found on Fuerteventura
It's a barren volcanic Island in the Canaries. It's not lifeless but it is nonetheless quite a desert for the most part. There is one creature which has made home and profited from what the Island has to offer. The Barbary Ground Squirrel; a Chipmunk. They often make their nests in places of human habitation and the tourists feed them with nuts. They've become quite an attraction. They are tame and rather cute, although I wouldn't like a bite from one. They are rodents and wild rodents tend to be carriers of diseases. Often harmful to humans due to our close genetic links.
Prairie Creature ?
It's odd seeing what you'd consider to be a forest or prairie creature at the beach but they scamper among the rocks with ease. Their only competition for the scraps humans leave behind are the Ring Necked Doves, who they seemed to have formed a peaceful alliance with.
Jump
Here's one mid air leaping from rock to rock in search of peanuts. They move very quickly and luckily in full sun, you can catch them freeze frame if you are lucky enough. I was using a long lens here so this was quite a lucky strike.
Stripey
Their distinctive stripe gives them that signature Chipmunk look and they have a curious and quite appealing character. Many of the Islands squirrels are well versed in human interaction and they know how to eat from the hand. Although the authorities actively discourage this for obvious reasons, the tourists can't resist their charm. The juveniles are most delightful and like most small mammals re hard to resist. They were brought over from their native home in Western Sahara as pets over 40 years ago. Like most alien species, there is no effective predator to control them. They have colonised the whole island and have caused extensive damage to the local fauna and flora. It's a delicate ecosystem. It's not easy to eradicate them,
Twigs & Grass
They collect twigs and grass from around the beach and line their nests safe in the cracks in the walls. Their main risk is from domestic cats and fortunately even the most foolhardy cat wouldn't venture up here.
Babies
This juvenile sits at the entrance to it's warm, safe nest in the wall, shelling peanuts which it has collected from tourists on the beach opposite. It's very cute and not quite as tame as it's seasoned Mother who obviously had a large family to feed, apparent from her enlarged teats.
Love the black and white photography dude.
thanks Sir Percival.. Happy New Year. I hope you've got your writing mojo fully restored for 2018 ! These guys were just too cute not to capture. I really like the very old and raggedy one in shot 2. (he/she was a battered old thing and proper scraggy. It was difficult not to feel empathy for it with it's scruffy little tail ! they came over as pets about 40 years ago from Western Sahara. they are considered invasive !
They're cute little things.
Yep 2018 is feeling good already, I've written two posts since returning from the Christmas break so all good. I trust you had a great Christmas and New Year.
Great Thanks.. very restful. I just read your article on lake monsters. excellent work. cryptids on crypto. I saw a pteradon in Australia.. my friend saw a plessie in Tanzania. I also saw something really weird come out of the Thames. looked like nothing I've ever seen (this one had multiple witnesses) it had a body like an otter, bigger. with webbed feet and it didn't even look like it had a head. it crawled out of the water at low tide and clacked across the mud awkwardly with it's webbed feet at high speed. that was in 2001. I've never seen anything like it. we were all non plussed at the time. it went right past us. we were on a moored boat. I still don't quite get it !! it was near Putney Bridge. The Pteradon sighting was another post entirely. on researching it, turns out I am not alone in seeing one :) Look forward to more from the mighty pen of Sir Percival !
Thanks mate.
A few people I've spoken to have seen weird creatures, hopefully in this age of tech some photographic evidence will be forthcoming. However until a live specimen is found its always going to be myth.
part of me does think some of the creature sightings are more supernatural or quantum glitches. Amazing subject. I've yet to catch anything on film or digital. one day !
amazing photography...
Wood cats is very nice..
nice
thanks @didarulselim. wood cats indeed ! they are Chipmunks
lovely photography..beautiful nature..nice travel...thanks for sharing
thanks @ritue ! really nice place to visit. warm all year round
Beautiful shots @outerground!!