Standing on the highest point of Socotra is magical and so vastly different than the arid and extremely hot lower elevations by the coast. Few visitors venture up here as it’s an arduous trek that often ends up in deep fog, no visibility and very cool temperatures.
Socotra is on of the most incredible places on the planet. The is home to an immense diversity of flora and holds a huge numbers of species found only here. From sea level to the highest point of the island unique species that are specialized to that specific niche are found, and the higher you get, the denser and taller the vegetation grows due to the increase in percipitation. On top of Socotra you will walk inside a forest, and often in thick and cold fog!
All of this is threatened! First and foremost by goats and cattle but perhaps the most serious is the climate change. In this image there are few signs of grazing, but that is because the plant species seen here are inedible by the goats and cattle. This means that natural selection is constantly put on hold, where the species grazed by goats and cattle never reach maturity and the species not eaten will grow to maturity. Due to ever increasing and longer lasting droughts livestock are moving higher and higher on the island over longer and longer periods, stressing vegetation more and more.
Longer droughts and higher temperatures are also stressing species and forcing them ever higher until they eventually run out of land and die.
Last updated on 1 March 2022
