sponsored travel spanish_tourist_board canaryislands 7091725 ----- # Fuerteventura: a little reserve amid all the action ## Fuerteventura is catching up with the other Canary Islands as a sun and sand destination - but it's also an important conservation centre for rare species, including the endangered loggerhead turtle. ![Canary Islands: Aloe Vera fields in Fuerteventura][1] Image 1 of 5 Canary Islands: Aloe Vera fields in Fuerteventura ![Canary Islands: Dunes National Park in Fuerteventura][2] Image 1 of 5 Canary Islands: Dunes National Park in Fuerteventura ![Canary Islands: Corralejo Dunes Beach in Fuerteventura][3] Image 1 of 5 Canary Islands: Corralejo Dunes Beach in Fuerteventura ![Canary Islands: Sotavento beach in Fuerteventura][4] Image 1 of 5 Canary Islands: Sotavento beach in Fuerteventura ![Canary Islands: Loggerhead turtles are being reintroduced to Fuerteventura][5] Image 1 of 5 Canary Islands: Loggerhead turtles are being reintroduced to Fuerteventura 11:51AM GMT 28 Jan 2010 Over the last decade, Fuerteventura's historic role as the poorest and least developed of the Canary Islands has come under serious threat. Guaranteed sun, expanses of golden sand and turquoise waters have proved irresistible to tour operators, brochure writers and winter sun-seekers alike. Tourism is now big business. But explore beyond the resorts, and another dimension to Fuerteventura emerges which, in the long-term, may prove to be more significant. Better known as a resort town, Morro Jable in the south is now also home to the Sodabe Turtle Reserve. This pioneering project aims, over the next decade, to reintroduce loggerhead turtles to the island, creatures that have not bred here for more than a century. Turtle eggs are brought from the Cape Verde islands to the south and hatched in artificial nests on the west coast beach of Cofete. Before they can crawl away to an uncertain future, the baby turtles are transferred to tanks at the nursery until they are big enough to stand a good chance of survival. They are then microchipped and released. The hope is that, a decade from now, females will make their way back to Cofete to lay eggs themselves, so the species will once again spontaneously breed on the island. ## Related Articles * [Tenerife: an elegant land erupting with nature and history][6] 26 Jan 2010 * [La Palma: sitting pretty in starlight][7] 26 Jan 2010 * [La Gomera: a small corner of whistles and love][8] 26 Jan 2010 * [Canary Islands: sun, sea and truly stunning skylines][9] 26 Jan 2010 * [Gran Canaria: an exotic blend of ancient and modern][10] 28 Jan 2010 * [Lanzarote: a blast from the past illuminates the present][11] 28 Jan 2010 'This island is a hot spot of biodiversity for the whole planet,' says Daniel, one of the marine scientists working at the reserve. As well as turtles, another conservation project has also been set up to reintroduce the endangered Mediterranean monk seal to the tiny neighbouring island of Los Lobos in the north. With this renewed interest in the importance of their natural environment, one very welcome recent development for the islanders was the announcement by Unesco in May, 2009, that the entire island was to be made a Biosphere Reserve, reinforcing its green credentials and its sustainable tourism ambitions for the future. This strategy means that the almost completely untouched west coast, the interior and a proportion of the southern Jandia peninsula will be protected for future generations. Traditionally, the islanders depended for their livelihoods on fishing, goat herding and local crafts, but one recent boon has been the surge in demand for moisturising skin products from visiting sun-worshippers. In response, the aloe vera plant has overtaken goat's cheese as the island's most important product, with its high-quality moisturising products being sold all over the archipelago and beyond. ([www.savimax.com][12]) The quality of water sports to be enjoyed here is among the best in the Canaries, with windsurfing and kiteboarding proving powerful magnets for the adventure sports fraternity. While the seas on the leeward, eastern side of the island are almost always calm, the winds are also reliable and constant, particularly in the famous Sotavento lagoon where World Tour events are staged every year. On the wilder western coast, there are a handful of surfing beaches, while diving is also very popular with a 3,280ft drop-off close to shore, exotic marine life, excellent visibility, and an underwater terrain of caves and grottoes typical of a submerged volcano. Sea conditions are also usually perfect for both novice and experienced divers alike. Being the oldest of the Canary Islands, erosion over the millennia has meant that almost 4,000ft of height has been wiped off the volcano that created the island. The relative lack of rain-attracting elevation has resulted in only small pockets of vegetation - mostly in the traditional mountain villages in the west - and the most authentically 'lunar' landscape of all the islands. Evenings and early mornings are the best times to appreciate this sometimes surreal landscape. In low light conditions, the volcanic rock passes through a kaleidoscope of colours and textures: warm reds and yellows against the darkening blue of the sky. Add in the silhouette of a remote finca surrounded by herds of goats, and you can see why walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders are increasingly attracted to the island. **Key Facts ** * Capital: Puerto de Rosario * Size: 641 sq miles * Population: 94,400 * Highest point: Pico de la Zarza at 2,648ft * Protected nature reserves:13. The entire island has been designated a Unesco World Biosphere Reserve * Website: [www.fuerteventuraturismo.com][13] **Island Highlights ** ** ** _**Beaches** _ There are more than 150 magical beaches to choose from, most of which have golden sand that is actually natural and not blown across from the Sahara as many guide books will have you believe. The best are on the Jandia peninsula in the south-east which are generally less gusty than those in the north-east. But don't forget the west coast which has strong currents but also some beautiful fishing villages and surfing beaches, including El Cotillo in the north-west and wild Cofete in the Jandia Natural Park. _**Playa de Sotavento**_ The Sotavento lagoon in the south-east has become world famous among windsurfers and kiteboarders, with World Tour events held here annually around the last two weeks in July. Its popularity stems from its unique and reliable wind conditions; the beach itself is a stunning lagoon with white sand and shallow, turquoise sea which changes by the minute as the tides rise and fall. _**Betancuria Church** _ The former capital of Betancuria in the centre west was chosen for its natural protection against pirate attacks. None the less, the original church fell victim and what we see today was rebuilt in 1691, although the bell tower is original. A magnificent example of Spanish baroque. _**Parque Natural de las Dunas de Corralejo** _ Located at the northern end of the island, these protected white-sand dunes are one of the island's major draws and helped kick-start tourism in the nearby resort of Corralejo. Often featured in films and television, the large expanse of dunes stretches for about six miles along the coast. _**Mirador Morrovelosa **_ With the best and most panoramic views, this lookout point is one of a number in the Canaries that also features a restaurant designed by the great Lanzarote-born architect Cesar Manrique. The bumpy track to the top at 2,130ft is well worth the effort. ** ** _**Tindaya Volcano** _ Sacred to the Majoreros people who once lived here and who left more than 100 mysterious 'foot' carvings on the summit (apparently to guard against evil spirits), the volcano can only be climbed with permission from the environment agency. A controversial project to hollow out a space inside the mountain by the late Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida is still under consideration. [X][14] Share & bookmark Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! 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