Sokotra

The Socotra Archipelago, which is situated in the north-western part of the Inian Ovean, still belongs to the comparatively unexplored parts of the world. Apart from some 19th century travel accoubts the island has been a relatively well-kept secret, virtually isolated from the rest of the world and effectively closed for foreign visitors because of military considerations and extreme natural conditions.
The fascinating and unique character of the flora and fauna of Socotra is related to its geological history. The island is probably part of a fault block separated off from the mainland by the same series of dislocations which produced the Gulf of Aden in Tertiary times and it is considered by geologists as one of the "mostisolated pieces of land" in the history of the earth. the high degree of endemism, as a result of this long isolation, makes the Archipelago of remarkable biogeographic and evolutionary interest and an important place in terms of global wildlife conservation.
Although the geological history of the island is in many details still imperfectly known, it is possible to suggest that some of the endemic species are relics of an ancient flora and fauna surviving in the massif of Socotra, which is considered not to have submerged since the Mesozoic.
Altogether some 850 plant species have been recorded so far, about 270 of which are considered to be endemic. Among them there are strange-looking remnants of ancient floras, which long ago disappeared from the surrounding mainland. Perhaps the most strikingly plants are the dragon's blood tree and the bizarre tree succulents, the desert rose, and the cucumber tree. Equally fascinating is the land and freshwater fauna, whith an exceptional number of endemics, but above all, comparatively poorly studied. Among the land birds at least 6 species, as well as 12 sub-species, are restricted to Socotra. The reptilian fauna is also very rich with 21 out of a total of 24 species regarded as endemics. But a