E merging from the Arabian Sea off the Arabian Peninsula, the Socotra archipelago is like some sort of Middle Eastern Galapagos. A remnant of an ancient landmass, it has been tectonically isolated from Africa and Arabia for the past 18 million years. So when scientists began the first substantial exploration of the islands 30 years ago, they found a fascinating collection of unusual plants and animals-a unique combination of relict populations (organisms that have become extinct elsewhere) and species that have evolved to cope with the islands' harsh conditions. Accordingly, it has one of the highest degrees of endemism of any island group: almost a third of its plant species and up to 80 per cent of its terrestrial animals are found nowhere else.
展开▼
