Teide National Park Trails Closed for Mouflon Control
Teide National Park will temporarily close trails in the Siete Cañadas and Pico Viejo areas this Wednesday for ongoing mouflon control to protect native plant life.
Some trails in Teide National Park will be temporarily closed this Wednesday for mouflon control. This has been happening regularly since April.
The park management has announced that the Siete Cañadas and Pico Viejo areas will be affected. Access is prohibited to everyone except those involved in the control activities.
Mouflon are a type of wild sheep (Ovis orientalis) that don't naturally belong in Tenerife. They were brought to the island's high areas in the 1970s for hunting.
At first, they only lived in Teide National Park. But they've since spread to lower areas, impacting other protected natural areas like Corona Forestal Natural Park and others.
These animals eat plants and pose a significant risk to the island's native plant life, especially rare and endangered species. To protect the local plants, park rangers regularly work to control the mouflon population, sometimes using firearms to reduce their numbers.
To ensure public safety during these operations, all recreational activities, including hiking, are prohibited in the control area on the specified days and times. The area is divided into seven sectors: Southeast, West, North, South, Pico Viejo, Siete Cañadas, and Chacorche.
If you're planning any outdoor activities between October and November 2025, check the interactive map. Activate the "Mouflon Control 2025" layer and click on the colored areas to see which days and trails will be closed due to the mouflon control program.