One of the places where we like to take our visitors on Terceira Island is to Ilhéus das Cabras.
These islets are located in the direction of the parish of Feteira and have a total area of 29 ha, making them the largest islets in the Azores. They are the remains of a volcanic cone that has been degrading due to water erosion and tectonic movement.
In addition to its scenic beauty and geological uniqueness, the Ilhéus das Cabras are also of great ecological importance, which is why they have the status of SPA (Special Protection Zone), in addition to being included in the list of Important Bird Areas (Important Areas for Aves) from the Azores, published by Birdlife International. This is mainly due to the fact that they are an important nesting area for bird species that are protected by the Habitat Directive, such as Cory's Shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea borealis) that every year come to the Azores to nest, the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) and the Pink Tern (Sterna dougallii). In addition to these species, it is also possible to observe the Heron (Ardea cinerea), the Sandpiper (Calidris alba), the interrupted-collared plover (Charadrius alexandrinus), among others.
The caves and recesses that were formed on the islets due to the erosive force of the waters are now shelters for several species. It is possible to find, for example, the Bat-of-the-AzoresNyctalus azoreum), which is the only mammal endemic to the Azores and is the smallest European species of the kind Nyctalus. This species is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN.
There is a cave on the north coast of Ilhéu de Oeste that serves as a breeding ground for populations of Eagle-Rats (Myliobatis aquilaand that is why it is called the Grotto of the Rats. The cave is also home to a wide variety of fish, for example the Queen-fish (Thalassoma pavo), the Great Mouse (Taeniura grabatathe yellow damselfish (Chromis limbata, the Castanheta-Ferreira (Abudefduf luridus), the King-fishCoris julis), the Salema (Sarpa salpa) and Grouper (Serranus atricauda), which makes this cave one of the favorite places for divers.
Our tours to Ilhéus das Cabras, departing from the Angra do Heroísmo Marina, usually last 1:30h in which we observe the islets from different perspectives and get closer to some of the caves, providing the opportunity to witness the beauty of this unique geological heritage and the nature that flourishes in it.
References:
http://parquesnaturais.azores.gov.pt
VerAçor (2007). Azores Diving Guide.
Photos of Soraia Branco
