wow. That almost doesn't look like planet earth. On Jul 17, 2009, at 12:26 PM, Edward Frank wrote:
> ENTS, > > This is a rather large post that was forwarded to me by Randy Cyr. > I am not sure what its original source. > > Ed > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Shelly Merchoff > To: [email protected] > Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 8:34 AM > Subject: Socotra Island - Very unusual > > > It is like being on a different planet... These pictures and > information are excellent > > viewing and reading. Socotra Island : you have to see it to > believe it. This island simply blows away any notion about what is > considered "normal" for a landscape on Earth. > > > <ATT1932920.jpg> > > Imagine waking up on the and taking a good look around you. After a > yelp of disbelief, you'd be inclined to think you were transported > to another planet - or traveled to another era of Earth's > history.Socotra Island > > The second would be closer to the truth for this island, which is > part of a group of 4 islands, has been geographically isolated from > mainland Africa for the last 6 or 7 million years. Like the > Galapagos Islands , this island is teeming with 700 extremely rare > species of flora and fauna, a full 1/3 of which are endemic, i.e. > found nowhere else on Earth. > > > <ATT1932921.jpg> > > > > > <ATT1932922.jpg> > > The climate is harsh, hot and dry, and yet - the most amazing plant > life thrives there. Situated in the Indian Ocean 250 km from Somalia > and 340 km from Yemen , the wide sandy beaches rise to limestone > plateaus full of caves (some 7 kilometers in length) and mountains > up to 1525 meters high. > > > <ATT1932923.jpg> > > The name Socotra is derived from a Sanscrit name, meaning "The > Island of Bliss "... Is it the beaches? The isolation and quiet? Or > the strange and crazy botanical allure? Alien-looking plants: H. P. > Lovecraft's secret inspiration? > > Was the famous Chtulhu myths creator aware of these forbidding > mountains with their hauntingly weird flora (think of plant > mutations from his "The Color out of Space")? We almost tempted to > call Socotra the other "Mountains of Madness" - the trees and plants > of this island were preserved thru the long geological isolation, > some varieties being 20 million years old... > > We begin with the dracena cinnibaris or Dragon's Blood Tree, the > source of valuable resin for varnishes, dyes, and "cure-all" > medicine; also (predictably) used in medieval ritual magic and > alchemy. > > > <ATT1932924.jpg> > > The branches spread out into the sky and from below appear to hover > over the landscape like so many flying saucers... and from above, > they have a distinct mushroom look: > > > <ATT1932925.jpg> > > > > > <ATT1932926.jpg> > > There is also the Desert Rose (adenium obesium) which looks like > nothing so much as a blooming elephant leg: > > > <ATT1932927.jpg> > > > > > <ATT1932928.jpg> > > Dorstenia gigas - apparently does not require any soil and sinks > roots straight into the bare rock: > > > <ATT1932929.jpg> > > > > > <ATT1932930.jpg> > > It also has a distinct personality and likes to smile for the camera: > > > <ATT1932931.jpg> > > Somewhat similar to the weird Dorstenia gigas, is this "bucha" > vegetable, found as far north as Croatia . I hope it's not pregnant > with anything malignant inside this sack. John Wyndham ("The Day of > the Triffids") would've loved it: > > > <ATT1932932.jpg> > > > > Also found in Socotra 's landscape is the ever-strange and extremely > rare Cucumber Tree (dendrosicyos socotranum) - and yes, it's related > to what's sitting in a pickle jar in your fridge: > > > <ATT1932933.jpg> > > > > Getting around can be a challenge, as there are almost no roads. > > Despite the fact that this island has around 40,000 inhabitants, the > Yemeni government put in the first roads just 2 years ago - after > negotiations with UNESCO, which has declared this island a World > Natural Heritage Site. I would prefer a camel ride to what is bound > to be a bumpy and slow 4x4 ride... It is a quiet and peaceful > enclave in an otherwise troubled world. If you decide to visit > there, you can forget about beachfront hotels and restaurants; this > island is geared towards eco-tourism and sustaining the local > economy and way of life. > > > <ATT1932934.jpg> > > > > > <ATT1932935.jpg> > > This island is a birder's paradise as well, with 140 different > species of birds, 10 of which are not found anywhere else in the > world. A unique Socotra warbler, sunbird, starling, bunting, sparrow > and cisticola are among the ones found here. There are also Socotra > Cormorants: > > > <ATT1932936.jpg> > > Want to see some fairy-tale (and possibly haunted) shipwrecks? There > are diving tours available... > > Hopefully some IMAX crew will film it in all its glory one day. > > > <ATT1932937.jpg> > > To give you a glimpse of Socotra's and Yemen 's in general totally > unique architecture, check out this place located on the mainland: > > Al Hajarah, Yemen - Walled city in the mist > > > <ATT1932938.jpg> > > > > > > > > Socotra is one of those "lost world" islands (separated from the > world six million years ago) where intrepid travelers - particularly > those seeking exotic nature and wildlife in a remote tropical > setting - can go days on end without rubbing shoulders with that > less-than-endangered species: tourists. > > Known for decades as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean , it's the > world's tenth richest island for endemic plant species. And it's the > biggest island in the Middle East 125 kilometers in length and 45 > kilometers across. > > Meanwhile the landscape is one of contrasts; for example, it has > isolated nature preserves with dazzling wildlife, including 900 > species of plants, the famous Dragon's Blood Tree "dracaena > cinnabara," some of the rarest birds that exist nowhere else in the > world, and picturesque sandy beaches. > > > > *********************************************************** > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
