Coat of arms of the Canary Islands Coat of arms of Canary Islands. Popularly attributed the Canary Islands name is derived from the Presa Canario, although under a law in force in the Canary Islands since 1991, the dog is the natural symbol of Gran Canaria along with the cactus. For this reason, critics of the current shield argue that it only represents the island of Gran Canaria, and not the entire archipelago. There has also been a motion to remove both animals' collars, as it is argued (especially since independence) that the collars represent "submission". Coat of arms of the Canary Islands The coat of arms
Canary Islands flight. The mountainous terrain of the Canary Islands also caters to the growing popularity of ultra running and ultramarathons as host of annual competitive long-distance events including Transvulcania on La Palma, Transgrancanaria on Gran Canaria and the Half Marathon des Sables on Fuerteventura. The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife ("Tourist Festival of International Interest") and Carnival of Las Palmas are one of the most famous Carnivals in Spain. It is celebrated on the streets between the months of February and March. Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; , ) is a Spanish archipelago and the southernmost autonomous community of