Have you ever heard about Socotra? Located off the Horn of Africa, it is the most otherworldly landscape on the planet rests in the northern Indian Ocean.
This place looks more like a science fiction movie set than a real piece of Earth. Visitors often feel like they just stepped out of a spaceship when they see its sharp mountains, white sand dunes, and strange trees that look like upside-down umbrellas.
Socotra has frequently been described as “the most alien-looking place on Earth”. What is the reason behind that title?
Socotra, the Most Alien Island on Earth
Socotra is not a volcanic island that rose from the sea like Hawaii. Instead, it is an ancient piece of a supercontinent.
About 20 million years ago, this piece of land broke away from Africa as the Gulf of Aden opened up. Since that dramatic split, life on Socotra grew in total isolation. No new animals or plants could cross the deep ocean to reach it.
This long separation created a biological time capsule. Today, a third of the island’s plant species are unique to Socotra. The numbers for animals here make everything becomes more unique because almost all of its reptiles and land snails live only on this small archipelago.
The plants on the island provide the biggest reason for its alien reputation. They simply do not grow like regular trees.
For example, the Dragon’s Blood Tree that serves as the ultimate symbol of Socotra. It has a thick central trunk and branches that stretch out to form a tight, umbrella-shaped top.
If you cut the bark, the tree leaks a thick, bright red sap. In the past, ancient traders traveled thousands of miles to buy this red resin because they believed it healed sickness and worked in magic rituals.
Another strange plant is the Desert Rose, which locals call the bottle tree. It has a fat, swollen base that looks exactly like a giant clay jug.
The island also features the Cucumber Tree, a massive plant with a smooth, water-filled trunk that can grow over six meters high. They evolved these bizarre shapes to store water inside their own bodies so they can survive the brutal, especially in dry seasons.
Galápagos of the Indian Ocean
According to UNESCO, Socotra is a world-famous treasure for nature lovers because it hides an incredible mix of rare plants and animals. In fact, people often call it the "Galápagos of the Indian Ocean" because life here is so rich and unique.
The island is a paradise for plant diversity, holding 825 different plant species. Out of these, 307 species (about 37 percent) grow nowhere else on Earth. The numbers for animals are even more unbelievable. Socotra is the only home to 90 percent of its reptile species and 95 percent of its land snails.
Animals also thrive in the sky and the sea here. BirdLife International named 22 Important Bird Areas on the island because it supports massive populations of land and sea birds, including many endangered species.
Under the water, the marine life is just as crowded. Coral reefs around Socotra host 253 species of coral, 730 types of coastal fish, and 300 different species of crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.
Today, the Socotra Archipelago holds a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was designated in 2008 due to its exceptional biodiversity and uniquely high number of endemic plant and animal species.
