Socotra Archipelago named World Heritage Site

The Socotra Archipelago (12.489158°, 53.907147°) is made up of four small and arid islands and two rocky islets that jut out from the Horn of Africa into the northwest Indian Ocean. In July 2008, Socotra was officially designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its distinct flora and fauna. Some 37% of Socotra’s 825 plant species, 90% of its reptile species and 95% of its land snail species are endemic. The islands also supports globally significant populations of land and sea birds, including a number of threatened species. The marine life in the waters around Socotra is also very diverse, with 253 species of reef-building corals, 730 species of coastal fish and 300 species of crab, lobster and shrimp. Politically, the islands belong to the Republic of Yemen but not surprisingly, are also claimed by Somalia which is geographically closer.

There seems to be mixed information about the namesake Socotra Cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis). Birdlife International 2003 reports that this Near-Threatened regional endemic occurs in small numbers as a non-breeding visitor throughout the archipelago and is more widespread elsewhere in the Arabian Gulf, Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden. However, Dave Sargent's January 2006 exemplary trip report indicates the cormorants breed and can be very numerous in places.

Other nesting seabirds include Jouanin's Petrel Bulweria fallax Persian Shearwater Puffinus (lherminieri) persicus, Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus, Masked Booby Sula dactylatra, Brown Booby Sula leucogaster, White-eyed Gull Larus leucopthalmus, Sooty Gull Larus hemprichii, Great Crested Tern Sterna bergii, Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis, Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata, Saunders' Tern Sterna saundersi, and Brown Noddy Anous stolidus.

Non-breeding visitors include Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus, Flesh-footed Shearwater Puffinus carneipes, and Wilson's Storm-Petrel Oceanites oceanicus.