SPECIAL AREA OF CONSERVATION TENO-RASCA MARINE STRIP
Part of the zone where the whales and dolphins are located is included in a protected area known as the Teno-Rasca Marine Strip Special Area of Conservation, which occupies a marine area of 76,648 ha, reaching a distance of 12 nautical miles from the coast at its farthest point and having a maximum depth of approximately 2,000 meters in the south-western region. The section of land next to the Special Area of Conservation is delimited by the Teno Massif and the Los Gigantes Cliffs (a Rural Park) to the north, and the volcanic landscape Punta Rasca (Special Nature Reserve) to the south. All of this covers a coastal length of 80 km.
The areas where dolphin and whale watching activities are normally carried out off the coast of the Island of Tenerife offer a privileged view of the different land resources that are available and which have a very high geological, natural, and cultural value. Of said resources, noteworthy are: Mount Teide, Roque del Conde (Barranco del Infierno Special Nature Reserve), The La Caleta Site of Scientific Interest, Diego Hernández Beach, The Los Gigantes Cliffs, The Rasca Badlands Nature Reserve, Guaza Mountain, and many others.
ZEC ZONE DESIGNATIONS
Whale Heritage Site has certified in 2021 the Teno-Rasca marine strip as the first Whale Heritage Site in Europe and the third worldwide, and recognises responsible and sustainable whale and dolphin watching.
With its unique resident population of pilot whales that can be found alongside a wide diversity of other species, all within a designated special conservation area, it is no wonder that the Tenerife-La Gomera Whales World Heritage Site has become a thriving place for whale watching.
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The brilliant blue waters between the Canary Islands of Tenerife and La Gomera have been called the "Hawaii of Europe" for being one of the world's best examples of a vibrant pelagic system.
Mission Blue has declared Tenerife-La Gomera a "Hope Spot" to support further protection of the area, in the spirit of the United Nations International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
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The International Committee of the Global Biological Corridor has declared the marine strip between La Gomera and Tenerife, which includes the ZEC Teno-Rasca area, as a zero-kilometer destination for the pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) in a sustainable and ecological sense.
Located in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, with crystal-clear waters and one of the most biodiverse marine habitats, this designation aims to highlight a unique environment for this species, which is nationally and internationally protected.
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