Tenerife is a remarkable island, dominated by Mount Teide, an active volcano higher than any mountain in mainland Spain. The island has extraordinary volcanic landscapes, and thousands of species of plants and animals that are found only there.
The authors' love of Tenerife stems from its enormous variety of habitats with their complex plant and animal communities. They have explored the island from the laurel forests of eastern Anaga to the cliffs of Los Gigantes in Teno, from the semi-deserts of the extreme south to the richly vegetated slopes along the north coast, and from remote black sand beaches to the lavas of Las Caņadas and the craters of Teide and Pico Viejo. Local Spanish experts have guided them to remote places and have contributed accounts of their own special interests.
most studied of all volcanoes.
Philip & Myrtle Ashmole are biologists who have worked on islands in many parts of the world. They have published numerous scientific articles and are the authors of Natural History Excursions in Tenerife; St. Helena and Ascension Island: a natural history and The Carrifran Wildwood Story. In 2015, Philip and Myrtle received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the RSPB Nature of Scotland Awards.