Lobos Island

The uninhabited island of Lobos (Spanish Isla de Lobos, island of the monk seal ) is part of belonging to Spain's Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.

Geography

Located in the Straits Bocaina, between Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, uninhabited island is 4.58 square kilometers and has a stake of 0.06 per cent of the total area of all the Canary Islands. 1982 has been put under protection Lobos. The island is administered by the municipality of La Oliva on the island of Fuerteventura, two kilometers away heard since 1987 Dune Park of Corralejo. 1994 Lobos was declared a natural park Parque Natural del Islote de Lobos. Good 130 plant species, some endemic, are protected here in two areas, namely areas that may be used by the general public and those that are designated as reserve and not permitted to enter. Lobos also forms a bird sanctuary.

The highest elevation is the Montaña La Caldera with 127 meters. Lobos has created 6,000 to 8,000 years ago by volcanic activity, and since then separated by rising sea of Fuerteventura. The geology and genesis is closely related to the large neighboring islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.

It operate several small passenger ferries from Corralejo to the small concrete investor El Muelle on Lobos. The island is hike around in a few hours. Worth seeing are the lighthouse of the Montaña La Caldera, the sand and sandy beach, Playa las Conchas, remains of the salt works in the West, the small lagoons ( Lagunitas ) in the Northeast, where many salt-loving ( halophilic ) plants are at home, and everywhere visible Vulkanöfchen ( Hornitos ) on the rough country ( Malpais ).

The monk seals ( Lobos Marinos ) gave the island its name in the 15th century. Lobo says in Spanish Wolf - the former explorers and sailors named the seals so Seawolves. Within a century, however, they were exterminated, partly because they could give the former sailors valuable meat, fat and fur.

History

In ancient times there was probably a Roman base on the island, leave as excavations of early 2012 suggests.

When in 1402 the Norman navigator Jean de Bethencourt conquered Lanzarote, he tried from serving as a supply base neighboring island of Los Lobos and Fuerteventura several times to take what he finally succeeded in 1405.

1863, the lighthouse (Faro de Martiño ) was at the northern tip built and put into operation two years later. In this the writer Josefina Pla was born in 1903, who lived in Paraguay later. Some time settled a few farming families on the island. Remains of their cisterns ( Aljibes ) can still be found. The last lighthouse keeper, who lived with his family there, had to go to the automation of the lighthouse in 1968. To date, in the meantime restored lighthouse is in operation.

Today there are two restaurants near the investors in Casas del Puertito for day visitors. A few fishermen there own weekend cottage. Permanent residents do not exist.

Pictures

Playa de las Conchas, Montaña La Caldera in the background

Small lagoons ( Lagunitas ) in the northeast

Casas del Puertito - huts for temporary residing locals and walkers