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Socotra Island the present and future
and your new tourist world's.
Back ground.
Socotra the virgin and charming Islands'. Its mountains wait
for their explorers and discoverers. These mountains are
covered with dragon-blood trees and other unusual plants. In
Socotra you can see the breathtaking views of canyons and
turquoise mountain lakes. Dessert plains, huge plateaus,
deep gorges, mysterious caves, picturesque villages and
ruins – all this is a picture of unique Socotra environment,
a wonderful picture as if painted in the pre-historic
period.
Those who like relaxing on the beach can find there clean
and virgin sand sea-shores. Naturalists will enjoy rocky
shores with numerous species of unique wild life. Divers
will have chances to plunge into the bright and colorful
underwater world of Socotra.
People from all over the world come to Socotra to enjoy them
vacations on the beauty of the island and the unique variety
of its flora and fauna.
Socotra Environmental
Tourism
site
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Socotra in the list of World Natural Heritage
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Socotra
Nature
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Fauna and
Flora
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Socotra weather and monsoon
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Geography and Geology
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Socotra caves
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Socotra
history
Location and area
the Socotra archipelago including
a group of Islands, Socotra, Samha, Darsa and Abdul kori.
Socotra Island is the biggest Islands
in Yemen and in the Arab World.
The Island located southeast of Yemen
in the Indian Ocean. The Island lies over 500 miles
southeast of Aden and about 300 miles from Mukalla.
Its area about 125 km by 45 km and
covers an area of 3625 km2, Socotra is one of the most
isolated pieces of lands on earth. The Island probably
detached from Africa as a fault block during the Middle
Pliocene (about more than 6 million years ago) in the same set of
rifting events that opened the Gulf of Aden to the North
West.
Socotra Island the Environmental
Tourism
site
We hope that our national efforts to
protect Socotra's unique wildlife will be supported by local and
international assistance. The Island's uniqueness should be the
gateway for environmental tourism in Yemen.
At this point, it should be stated
emphatically that Socotra is not open to ordinary visitors.
As a pioneer for environmental tourism we promote only high
budget sustainable travel to this Island. Soqotra Island
should preserve its uniqueness. Researchers, scientists and
unique discovery travelers are most welcome.
"We hope
that our message reaches not only local investors and
incoming operators but also international companies and
wholesalers."
Socotra in the list of World Natural Heritage.
The United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced at
the 7th of July 2008 to enroll Socotra Island to the list of
World Natural Heritage.
UNESCO described the Sokotra
archipelago, which extends over an area 250 km which
includes four Islands and small isles. It has an exceptional
site in terms of great diversity of plants and the
proportion of endemic species: the 37% of plant species
and 90% of the kinds of reptiles and 95% of spiral wild
species which are no more in any other regions of the world.
As for the birds, the site housed an important species at
the global level (191 species, 49 of them breeding on the
Islands, with 120 of them regularly migrate), including some
endangered by extinction. The marine life in Socotra has the
great diversity, with the presence many species of coral
reefs, and about 730 species of coastal fish and 300 species
of crabs, lobster and shrimp.
TOP
Socotra Nature
The nature of Socotra is one of the most fascinating places
in the world.
Its unique character that is related to its geological
history. Some of the endemic species are probably relics of
a very ancient flora and fauna
surviving since the Mesozoic period. Socotra Islands are
often referred to as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean',
known for their many endemic species. The whole Island and
its coasts are under the protection of the Yemeni
Conservation and Development Authority that declared the
Island “a Naturally Protected Area” and, in collaboration
with the Yemeni Tourism Authority produces a guide for eco
tourism.
Socotra is a unique Island which opened to tourism only
recently. The Island offers a surprising variety of natural
beauty: mountains overlooking the sea, plains covered with
palm trees and cane-brakes, beaches, limestone plateaus and
deep ravines. On the Island visitors can find unique animal
and vegetables species that give Socotra a primordial look.
Fauna
and Flora
TOP
Due to its geographic position and
evolutionary history, the Socotra Archipelago is a prime
regional center of Biodiversity.
Socotra Island is very rich and home
to the many rare spectacular species of reefs, fishes,
birds, plants and trees which are not found anywhere else in
the world.
More than 900 species of plants have
been classified, 300 of plants are endemic not found in
anywhere else in the world.
The most famous is the Dragon Blood
Tree whose name is derived from the fact that by carving its
trunk it pours out a red resin, it is said by the ancient
belief, to be the blood of the dragon.
Birdlife International identifies over
22 "Important Bird Areas" on the Socotra Archipelago. These
areas include more than 191
species of birds have been
recorded in Socotra with new species being found every year.
More than 49 species of birds breeding
and about 120 species of migrant birds arrive during winter
and summer as well as the habitats of the 8 species and 12
subspecies of endemics, which add to the Islands' high
ecotourism potential. There are 600 species of insects with
90% with high proportion of endemic.
There are also about190 species of butterfly and with a
large number of endemics and about 680 Species of fishes and
about 230 species of hard corals (five are endemics) and 30
species of
soft corals. In
addition to 300 species of crustacean (nine are endemics),
490 species of mollusks, and 230 species of algae. Socotra
is extremely rich of the reptile fauna comprising 24 out of
27 endemic species. Nesting of sea turtles, probably Green
Turtles but possibly Hawksbills, takes place on the north
coast. TOP
Socotra
weather and monsoon
General climate
Socotra Island is located at 12.6
degrees N, 53.9 degrees E, or in the NW Indian Ocean where
it merges with the Gulf of Aden.
Two characteristics of the Southwest
Monsoon season winds are noted in this sequence of
meteograms. First, the climatologically tendency for morning
maximum surface wind speeds and evening minimums are more
faithfully depicted in this set. Second, the overall
comparison of the two sets is an example of the highly
persistent nature of the wind patterns that occur throughout
the Gulf of Aden and western Arabian Sea during the
Southwest Monsoon season.
During the summer months of June, July
August and the mid of September, the southwest Monsoon blows
an average of 20-25 knots. Due to the unique topography of
the land and mountains, these monsoon winds generate very
strong winds on the northern coast and plains, many times
averaging 50-60 knots. In a couple of particular spots on
the north coast, the configuration of the mountains can
sometimes create short and savage bursts of winds in excess
of 170 kph. This is a very locally experienced phenomenon
and many areas of the Island, such as the south and west
coasts, just bask in the cooling trade winds.
From June to September the Island is
accessible only by plane, because of exceedingly strong
monsoon winds. Access by sea is virtually impossible due to
high seas and strong winds all around the Island.
The northeast monsoon of winter (November to March) is
somewhat cooler and wetter — although annual precipitation
on the Island is a scant 130-170 mm per year on the coast,
rising to around 1,000 mm in the mountains. Mean average
temperatures range from 27°C to 37°C maximum and 17° to 26°C
minimum along the coastal plain, with temperatures being
significantly cooler at higher elevations. Rainfall is very
sporadic and in some years the costal areas receive none.
TOP
Geography
and Geology
Socotra Island is one of the most
isolated pieces of lands on earth. The Island probably
detached from Africa as a fault block during the Middle
Pliocene (about 6 million years ago) in the same set of
rifting events that opened the Gulf of Aden to the North
West.
The Island lies in the north –western
corner of the Western Indian Ocean, at the junction between
the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea at 12- 30’N – 53-50’E.
Socotra Island is composed of a
basement complex of igneous and metamorphic rocks of
Pre-Cambrian age overlain by sedimentary rocks, mainly
limestone and sandstone. Topographically it can be divided
into three main zones.
The coastal plains vary considerably in width, up to about 5
km.
The limestone plateau extends across
most of the Island, averaging 300-700 m in altitude. This
plateau drops in steep, often almost vertical, escarpments
to the coastal plain or directly to the sea. It is dissected
by a number of deep valleys, as well as drops away at the
edges in steep cliffs and is eroded on the surface into
karsts topography.
The Haghier Mountains is the backbone
of the Island is formed by the Haghier Mountains located in
the north-west of the Island rise up to a height of 1519 m,
these mountains rise dramatically along their sheer northern
face and slope of more gently along the southern and eastern
flanks.
The top of Mashneq's is the highest
point on the Island, it's about (1526 masl) and it is
located in the central Haghier Massif.
Although Socotra lies in the rain
bearing monsoon belt, it is predominantly the Hagghier
Mountains that attract the precipitation, with the result
that their slopes are well vegetated and several of their
steams are
perennial.
TOP
Socotra caves Information and
what to see in the Caves
Hoq Cave
was the first cave to be surveyed by the Belgian Socotra
Karst Project-team (SKP) in December 2000-January 2001,
initiated by the geologist Peter De Geest.
It is one of the most ancient
metropolitan cave sites of the Middle East. The archaeologic
remains are impressive. There are also numerous endemic
troglobionts living in the cave.
Hoq Cave is the type locality of
several invertebrates, among them the Whip Scorpions.
Hundreds of stalagmites, ranging in size from a few 10s of
cm to an estimated 20 m, rise from the cave floor. Nearly
all are presently inactive. Growing stalagmite and three
inactive stalagmites ranging in size from 54 cm to 155 cm.
Hoq Cave
is a sort of semi wild show cave. Explored by the Belgian
Soqotra Karst Project, it became famous among cavers,
scientists, and tourists. In order to protect the cave, the
Belgian cavers laid a path through 2,500m of the cave. They
also trained local villagers to guide visitors. The idea was
to protect the cave by offering the locals a living and
teach them about the dangers.
Moomi Caves
- An extensive karst plateau lies to the east of the Haggier
Mountains. There is several caves on this region are located
about 4 km from one another at ~480 masl. Both caves contain
numerous active and fossil stalagmites. Southwest Caves
second high limestone plateau is located on the southwestern
side of Soqotra Island.
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Socotra History
-
separation from Africa in the mid Pliocene
(approx. more than six million years ago)
- settlements by South
Arabian tribes ca. 1000 B.C.
- 1st century A.D. mentioned
first time in a Greek sailor report
- 1507-1557 Portuguese
occupation
- 1614 Exploration by the Dutch
- 1839 Part of
the British Empire
- 30th November 1967 Part of the ex-known
"South Yemen"
- president Ali Abdullah Salih opened the
island's first tarmac airstrip in 1999.
-22nd May integrated island of Republic of
Yemen
- 7th of July 2008 The United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
announced to enroll Socotra Island to the list of World Natural
Heritage.
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