Did you know Yemen’s Socotra is the world’s most alien island?
Do you wish to travel to an island that is similar to the exoctic ones picturised in the film ‘Avatar’? If you answered yes to the above question, it’s time to pack your bags and travel to Socotra, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean that are roughly 210 miles southeast of Yemen. Termed as the ‘world’s most alien island’ with its distinctive flora and fauna, Socotra was even named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2008. One of the world's most culturally diverse island groups, the Socotra Archipelago, is made up of itself and its neighbouring islands, Abd Al-Kuri, Samha, and Darsa. Here’s all you need to know about this strange island on our planet. Read on.
Where does the island get its name from?
The islet’s name was derived from the Sanskrit term ‘dvipa-sakhadara’ meaning ‘island of bliss’. It is also likely that the name was derived from the Arabic words ’souk’ and ‘qotra’ which ‘market’, and ‘drop’, respectively. Etymologists believe that the name could be a reference to the dripping frankincense found in the region. On the other hand, according to the ‘Peryplus of the Erythrean Sea’ a first-century Greek navigational guide, the Ancient Greeks called the island, Dioscorida, referring to to Dioskuri, the protector of seafarers' and sailors' in Greek mythology.
Legends about Socotra Island
There are many legends about the island too. One popular legend says that Christians inhabited the island in the seventeenth century for a while until they were not found there any longer. On the other hand, some records say that the Mahra Sultans of southeast Yemen had ruled over Socotra before the Portuguese laid their claim to the land between 1507 and 1511. Even the British attempted to buy the island in 1834 but were unsuccessful. In the 1880s, the Sultan accepted British protection for the entire sultanate. When Socotra joined the independent South Yemen in 1967 and later the united Yemen, the sultanate came to an end.
Socotra: The Galapagos of the Indian Ocean
The archipelago’s biodiversity, which includes a diverse and rich flora and fauna, makes it of global significance: 95% of the land snail species, 90% of the reptile species, and 37% of the 825 plant species on Socotra are unique to the region. Well, that’s not all. Among the varied endemic species found in Socotra, the umbrella-shaped dragon’s blood trees, cucumber trees and the desert rose trees are famously known for their unmistakable imagery. Among them, the dragon’s blood trees are the most popular all over the world. This is due to the red resin these unusual trees produce which was once used as a dye and medicine in olden times. Interestingly, they have this peculiar shape because they grow in arid regions with little soil and water. The trees also produce red berries, which over the course of their life cycle change from black to red.
Furthermore, Socotra Island’s endemic bottle tree is known for being the only one in the Cucurbitaceae family that grows into a tree. The tree only has bristles of leaves and flowers at its tips, despite the fact that the tree's trunk can be up to one metre in diameter. Further, the area nurtures large populations of sea birds and land birds, including several threatened species (192 bird species, 44 of which breed on the islands and 85 of which migrate frequently). With 253 species of reef-building corals, 730 species of coastal fish and 300 species of crab, lobster, and shrimp, Socotra's marine life is also incredibly diverse. It’s no wonder then that this amazing natural biodiversity is often called the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean.