Canary Islands La Gomera taking 1000 captives to be sold as slaves. Another noteworthy attack occurred in 1797, when Santa Cruz de Tenerife was attacked by a British fleet under Horatio Nelson on 25 July. The British were repulsed, losing almost 400 men. It was during this battle that Nelson lost his right arm. The sugar-based economy of the islands faced stiff competition from Spain's American colonies. Low prices in the sugar market in the 19th century caused severe recessions on the islands. A new cash crop, cochineal ("cochinilla"), came into cultivation during this time, saving the islands' economy. During this time
Marine life of the Canary Islands whales, "Kogia", little known beaked whales, orcas, the short-finned pilot whales, false killer whales, Risso's dolphins, common and bottlenose dolphins. Vagrant hooded seals also appear every now and again. In 1995, continuous observations of North Atlantic right whale, being considered as functionally extinct in eastern North Atlantic were made, followed by another possible sighting off La Gomera between 1998 and 1999. The Canary Islands were also formerly home to a population of the rarest pinniped in the world, the Mediterranean monk seal. Tenerife and Gran Canaria are one of the few remaining locations with a substantial population of angelsharks. It