Socotra: Hidden Paradise of Outlandish Species

Socotra, a legendary place at the edge of the world, is home to a high number of distinctive species, often described as “the most alien-looking place on Earth” (Brereton, 1990). An isolated island of Yemen was proven by the researchers in the 20^th century that despite the island’s size (83 by 27 miles) it consisted of elements from Africa, Asia, and Europe, which to this day puzzle the biologists.

Dazzling white sand dunes along Socotra’s cystal clear coastline
Image: Kristina Makeeva

The mysterious island was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a world natural heritage site in July 2008. The EU has supported the move and ordered a couple of organizations, including IOPE, to classify the island archipelago among the major environmental heritages (Saba Net, 2008). Today, Socotra’s rich diversity in nature captivates explorers, who wish to learn its hidden gems before the world transforms it forever.

The natural richness of Socotra was desired and appreciated since the ancient days: aromatic frankincense, healing aloe extract, and the red dye of the dragon’s blood tree, often consumed for the same purpose as the aloe extract and occasionally for artist’s color. In fact, The Queen of Sheba, Alexander the Great, and Marco Polo were the ones who sought after the lushness of Socotra. The term ‘Socotra’ is derived from the Sabaic and Hadramitic inscriptions ‘Dvipa Sukhadra’, which translated to the “island of bliss”, valuing the charms and rarity of the natural world on the island (Cambridge Scholars, 2019).

Land snails climb trees to escape heat, exposed to hungry birds luckily, camouflaged by the tree trunk
Image: Mark W. Moffet

The Dragon Blood Tree
Dendrosicyos socotrana, the native name for dragon blood tree, is a unique tree native to the Socotra archipelago. The endemic tree of blown-out umbrella typically symbolizes Socotra and is also found on Yemen’s 20-riyal coin. Dragon blood forests are seen in Firmihin zone in Socotra. The tree grows slowly, about one meter every ten years (Albayan, 2021). It has been noted that some biologists attempted to plant the tree elsewhere in the world, however, the trees died out due to the climate conditions and the unique mixture of minerals and organisms of soil only presented in Socotra.

In a forest of dragon’s blood, the individual trees keep their distance, like shy people at a party.
Image: Mark W. Moffet

The most important fact that distinguishes the dragon’s blood tree from all trees in the world is the appearance of blood when its stem is cut off; hence the name dragon ‘blood’ tree. This bloody liquid is a kind of “resin” crimson in color, it has no smell or taste. It is of very great importance; It contains an active substance called “Draco” that has many medical uses, including:

Treatment of wounds and burns; It works to clot the blood and heal wounds quickly.
Treating infections and skin ulcers.
Treating digestive problems and stomach ulcers.
Stop internal bleeding anywhere inside the human body.
Antiseptic and astringent for gums; It is involved in the manufacture of toothpaste.

The Desert Rose
Many adventurers come to Socotra to photograph the Dragon Blood Tree and the Desert Rose, also known as the Adenium obesum, which grows on the slopes of the Socotra Mountains, according to the official website of the Tourism Promotion Council in Yemen (CNN Arabia, 2020). Desert Roses are common in Arabian and African mainlands, however, the ones in Socotra are typically bigger in size. The water is stored in the trunk and the plant itself grows in a beautiful way to anchor itself to the rocks.