Drone Flyover Bandama Caldera, Volcanic Crater in Gran Canaria: Seasonal Comparison October vs April

Bandama Caldera is a beautiful natural volcanic wonder in Gran Canaria. A relatively short drive from Las Palmas, and close to the town of Santa Brígida, is an area rich in geology and biology. The "Caldera" is technically a Maar, a crater formed from a volcanic explosion when hot rock and gases vaporizes underground water. The crater is about 300 meters deep and houses a rich range of unique plant and animal life.
Much of the trees at the bottom of the crater are part of the native thermophilic forest that covered much of this region long before human arrival. A few laurel trees and plant in the genus euphorbia are common but now the region hosts mostly introduced plant species on the rim and sides of the crater used for agriculture. Blue Agave for example is a common plant here.
Native peregrine falcons are a common bird that live in the caves of the crater edge, preying on feral pigeons, and within the deep parts of the crater is quite easy to find the native giant lizards of Gran Canaria, (Gallotia stehlini), which are omnivorous and will eat berries as well as insects and carrion.
Gran Canaria is unusual in that it is devoid of any native mammals. Plant life is therefore relatively undisturbed here and grows quickly after a drought.
This can be seen when we compare the greenery of the crater between the months of October, after the long dry period of the summer, and April, after the wet season. Plant life that would go dormant during the extreme heat and drought of the summer comes back very vibrant in the late spring and rain is a significant regulator of plant growth here.
Access to water is indeed the greatest challenge faced by life here and Bandama is fortunate in having a micro-climate that facilitates the formation of mists within the crater that can provide moisture to support the grape vines that are useful in the production of the much valued wine of this region which are among the best in the Spanish territories.
Borealis by Scott Buckley | / scottbuckley
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