Abama Resort is located in one of the most beautiful enclaves on Tenerife, with rolling hills and on a steep incline that offers spectacular views from almost every vantage point. Few know, though, that just under the surface of the Atlantic we gaze upon lies an extraordinarily diverse collection of marine fauna. A few meters from our villas and luxury apartments, right in front of Playa Abama, is the Franja Marina Teno-Rasca, covering an area of 22 kilometers between the Rasca Lighthouse and Punta de Teno. Declared a Special Conservation Area (ZEC) to protect its biodiversity and ensure the habitat of the endangered species that live here, this strip of ocean touches the municipalities of Buenavista del Norte, Santiago del Teide, Guía de Isora, Adeje and Arona.
With the aim of making this ecosystem familiar to as many people as possible and working together for its conservation, Abama Resort Tenerife has just published Abama Blue Ocean, a compilation of high quality images captured by great underwater photography professionals including Francis Pérez, Montse Grillo, Eduardo Acevedo, Joaquín Gutierrez, Rogelio Herrera and Marcos Latorre.
From impressive coral reefs to sea grass meadows and rocky ocean floors, the Franja Marina Teno-Rasca is home to a multitude of species, including subtropical fish, cetaceans and turtles. Today, put on your wetsuit and dive with us into the depths to get to know them better.
Cetacean heritage
This marine ecosystem has been named the first Whale Heritage site in Europe and the third-most-important in the world, after Hervey Bay (Australia) and The Bluff (South Africa). Of the 79 species of cetaceans that inhabit the planet, 26 have been sighted in Teno-Rasca and some live here permanently. The most stable and numerous species is the pilot whale; but it is also possible to encounter sperm whales, killer whales and fin whales. Just 20 minutes from the coast, you can see cetaceans practically all year round. Remember that keeping your distance, making as little noise as possible, and always taking an eco-certified tour is the best way to approach them.
Dolphins and more dolphins
Several species of other dolphins, including bottlenose and spotted, can be seen in groups throughout the area. Less than two miles from the coast you’ll spy them accompanying boats or imparting lessons to their young calves, because the waters of the southwest of Tenerife are one of their breeding zones. Those who enjoy recreational diving can see them up close. With a potential to reach more than two and a half meters long, they can weigh in at 500 kilos and live up to 60 years of age.
A safe space for turtles
Endangered loggerhead, green, hawksbill and leatherback turtles find the area an ideal place to feed on a wide variety of prey, including jellyfish, squid, crustaceans and mollusks. The loggerhead turtle is the most abundant in the waters of Tenerife, though most are juveniles pausing for several years in the middle of lifetime oceanic journeys.
The marine fauna found in the Franja Marina Teno-Rasca also includes a great diversity of tuna, swordfish, sailfish and bonito, though they don’t appear in the pages of Abama Blue Ocean. Our coastal property for sale is located in the midst of a singular natural environment. We hope this book will be a starting point for discovery of this incredible underwater world that is key to the preservation of all our planet’s ecosystems, whether on land or sea.
