The Socotra Archipelago forms part of the Republic
of Yemen, and is located in the northwestern Indian Ocean, some 350km south of
the Arabian peninsula. The archipelago consists of the main island of Socotra
(3625 km2 ) and three smaller islands, Abd Al Kuri, Samha and Darsa, and other
rock outcrops (Koal Pharawn and Sabunya).
The long geological isolation of the island from neighboring
Arabia and Africa, has resulted in very high levels of endemism, which make the
archipelago a site of global importance for biodiversity conservation. The
island has in fact been historically known for its unique and spectacular
vegetation.
Socotra has been described as one of the most
alien-looking place on Earth, and it’s not hard to see why. It is very isolated
with a harsh, dry climate and as a result a third of its plant-life is found
nowhere else, including the famous Dragon’s Blood Tree, a very-unnatural
looking umbrella-shaped tree which produces red sap.
There are also a large
number of birds, spiders and other animals native to the island, and coral
reefs around it which similarly have a large number of endemic (i.e. only found
there) species. Socotra is considered the most biodiverse place in the Arabian
sea, and is a World Heritage Site.
SOCOTRA, REPUBLIC OF YEMEN
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