Barbary Ground Squirrels of Fuerteventura (Canary Isles)

There's not a huge range of Species to be found on Fuerteventura

It's a barren volcanic Island in the Canaries. It's not lifeless but it is nonetheless quite a desert for the most part. There is one creature which has made home and profited from what the Island has to offer. The Barbary Ground Squirrel; a Chipmunk. They often make their nests in places of human habitation and the tourists feed them with nuts. They've become quite an attraction. They are tame and rather cute, although I wouldn't like a bite from one. They are rodents and wild rodents tend to be carriers of diseases. Often harmful to humans due to our close genetic links.

Prairie Creature ?

It's odd seeing what you'd consider to be a forest or prairie creature at the beach but they scamper among the rocks with ease. Their only competition for the scraps humans leave behind are the Ring Necked Doves, who they seemed to have formed a peaceful alliance with.

Jump

Here's one mid air leaping from rock to rock in search of peanuts. They move very quickly and luckily in full sun, you can catch them freeze frame if you are lucky enough. I was using a long lens here so this was quite a lucky strike.

Stripey

Their distinctive stripe gives them that signature Chipmunk look and they have a curious and quite appealing character. Many of the Islands squirrels are well versed in human interaction and they know how to eat from the hand. Although the authorities actively discourage this for obvious reasons, the tourists can't resist their charm. The juveniles are most delightful and like most small mammals re hard to resist. They were brought over from their native home in Western Sahara as pets over 40 years ago. Like most alien species, there is no effective predator to control them. They have colonised the whole island and have caused extensive damage to the local fauna and flora. It's a delicate ecosystem. It's not easy to eradicate them,

Twigs & Grass

They collect twigs and grass from around the beach and line their nests safe in the cracks in the walls. Their main risk is from domestic cats and fortunately even the most foolhardy cat wouldn't venture up here.

Babies

This juvenile sits at the entrance to it's warm, safe nest in the wall, shelling peanuts which it has collected from tourists on the beach opposite. It's very cute and not quite as tame as it's seasoned Mother who obviously had a large family to feed, apparent from her enlarged teats.