10Dragon’s blood trees on Socotra Island

Socotra is a unique and fascinating island located in the Arabian Sea, 352 kilometers from the coast of Yemen. Detached from the supercontinent Gondwana about 6 million years ago, it is home to animal and plant species that are not found anywhere else on Earth.

More than a third of plant species and 90% of the island’s reptiles are endemic. WWF considers Socotra to be a terrestrial ecoregion of paramount importance for understanding and preserving biodiversity on the planet. It is listed as a World Heritage Site as a nature reserve. Socotra’s iconic tree is the dragon tree, which produces the resin called dragon’s blood. Its parasol shape with bare branches below and foliage on the top is particularly suited to the semi-arid climate of the island.

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