Menacing seas have long shielded the exceptional island of Socotra from the outside world. The island sprouts an array of odd looking plants and so many endemic species that scientists have nicknamed it the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean. From the dragon's blood tree (Dracaena cinnabaribe) to the cliff-dwelling desert rose (Adenium obesum), the bizarre local plant species make for a landscape that looks more alien than terrestrial. Socotra is a protected UNESCO world heritage site, but because...
more »Menacing seas have long shielded the exceptional island of Socotra from the outside world. The island sprouts an array of odd looking plants and so many endemic species that scientists have nicknamed it the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean. From the dragon's blood tree (Dracaena cinnabaribe) to the cliff-dwelling desert rose (Adenium obesum), the bizarre local plant species make for a landscape that looks more alien than terrestrial. Socotra is a protected UNESCO world heritage site, but because the island belongs to Yemen, a country with very strict regulations regarding travel, Socotra draws very few tourists. Despite Socotra's isolation, its plant life is under threat from human encroachment, imported flora and fauna and, some scientists say, climate change.
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