To Socotra Island

 To Socotra Island

Socotra is one of those “lost world” islands (separated from the world six million years ago) where intrepid travelers - particularly those seeking  exotic nature and wildlife in a remote tropical setting - can go days on end without rubbing shoulders with that less -than-endangered species…tourists.


Known for decades as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean, it’s the world’s tenth richest island for endemic plant species. And the biggest island in the Middle East 125 kilometers in length and 45 kilometers across.


Meanwhile the landscape is one of contrasts, for example, it has isolated nature preserves with dazzling wildlife (including 900 species of plants, and the famous Dragon’s Blood Tree “dracaena cinnabara” and the some of rarest birds that exist nowhere else in the world), and picturesque sandy beaches.  


Photos and video of the island of Socotra

Socotra is home to more than 800 species of plants, some 240 of which are endemic to the island, and there are certainly many more plant species that have yet to be discovered. The climate is harsh, hot and dry, and yet - the most amazing plant life thrives there.

A Dragon’s Blood Tree (Dracaena cinnabari) is seen in front of the Skund mountains on the island of Socotra, Yemen. The tree is so named because any injury to the bark results in a deep red liquid excreting from the scar – compared in the past to the "Blood of Dragons".

The branches spread out into the sky and from below appear to hover over the landscape like so many flying saucers... and from above they have a distinct mushroom look.
 

an proportions grows against a limestone rock face on the island of Socotra. The plants are one of over 300 plant species endemic to the island.

Birds of a unique
Birds of Socotra to form multi-species environment features a diversity of nature, and watch the bird species is not hard, they fly close to the visitor and the trees in the sea water surrounding the island.
The island hosts more than 179 species of birds, including 25 rare species live in 32locations on the island, and six species of endemic birds unique to Socotra without otherparts of the world. The unique species of insects, including butterflies the day of the 15endemic species and butterflies of the night, and includes 60 species along with 100 species of insects last 80 of which are private Bsagtry.
In 2000 declared Socotra a nature reserve, and adopted within 23 nature reserves have been allocated $ 10 million provided by the Global Environment Facility of the UnitedNations, and in 2008 announced that the World Heritage Committee of the International Organization for Education, Science and Culture of the United Nations «UNESCO»officially join the Socotra Archipelago to the World Heritage List.