At the highest elevations of Socotra you’ll surprisingly find an evergreen montane forest! You’ll also find the dragon blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari). They thrive here but don’t reach the same size as on the lower, hotter and drier elevations. Unfortunately the dragons are threatened by the goats here also, but where they cannot reach there’s a tiny dragon growing. Fortunately the very dense and inedible vegetation in many places protect the regrowth of the dragon, so up here you’ll see regrowth in all stages.
The mountains of Socotra’s interior are also called Haggeher or Hajhir mountains, and rise to more than 1500 meters above sea level. Many months a year the mountains are hidden in the clouds. Clouds mean water, and water means life. More than a meter of water reaches the ground her per year. All this water seeps through the ground and feed streams all around the island. Without the rainmaking mountains, there would be no permanent streams holding endemic crustaceans, fishes and plants.
Hiking from the lower elevations to the top of the island is an incredible journey of ever changing plant species, all denser and taller as you reach higher elevations. This view is around 1400 meter elevation and is densely vegetated, lush and verdant all year round.
Last updated on 6 April 2022
