Tourists Caught Removing Volcanic Rocks from Protected Area

A group of tourists have been denounced by the Cabildo’s Environment Department after they were caught taking examples of volcanic rock from the Parque Natural de los Volcanes.

Wardens approached the group after an onlooker reported that they had been removing rocks and placing them in their rucksacks. The group claimed to be university students studying Geology but had no permit to extract geological samples from the protected area.

The wardens found several examples of rock, including olivina, in the rucksacks, along with a geological hammer.  The fines for taking rocks from a protected area can reach €3,000.