The owners of maintaining millions of years have warned against developing “Galapagos from the Indian Ocean”.

At the sessions of the Horn of Africa, the Yemeni island of Sokutra has left its own for its own devices for several centuries, and adding the few who reach trading for essential frankincense, the healing plant, and the brick of the blood tree in the dragon, used for dyes.

Located in New York, Socotra is almost 140 miles off the coast of Somalia, a distant location that allows the unique ecosystems to prosper. It has a rich collection of birds of birds and animals, and coral reefs of its beaches are filled with colored marine life. Another third of its plants, another 825 species, cannot be found on Earth’s face. According to UNESCO.

Some, including the Kay van Damm, brought Galapagos in the Indian Ocean and with other experts, warning that millions of years of development on Sukutra may be a “serious threat”.

“The climate change is the biggest threat to the island’s biological diversity,” said Van Damm, who worked for more than two decades. “It is a relatively small island with a urging climate often. Even the small additional effects of climate change can have a significant effect, which increases the pressure on fragile ecosystems.”

The prolonged drought caused by climate change doubles the damage caused by destructive hurricanes in 2015 and 2018 that destroyed coral reefs, eroded soil and rare plants that have been uprooted.

The island’s lifeline, and the endemic species of frankincense trees, are also threatened. Four out of 11 recognized species on the island were classified as threatened with extinction by the International Federation for Conservation of Nature in March.

Five has been recognized as being threatened with extinction. “Their decline reflects the broader deterioration of terrestrial habitors throughout the island and the ecosystems they support,” said Van Damm, adding that excessive fatigue – mostly of goats – represents another important challenge, which leads to the deterioration of habitats and “leaving excessive trees with younger trees to replace them.”

The growing fingerprint of tourism

It was attracted by virgin socotra beaches, turquoise waters and surreal plants, as well as tourists also put increasing pressure on the fragile ecosystem on the island.

While there are only a few hotels, most of them in the capital, Hadibo, a growing number of tourist tourists offer luxury camping and 4×4 tours throughout the island, some of which are mobilized as environmental tourism.

The authorities agreed to limit the number of tourists to about 4,500 a year, Ali Yahya, a local local and director of Sahli, said in an interview last month, adding that when it comes to “very sensitive areas in terms of ecosystems, biological diversity and cultural heritage, it is not allowed to accurately build any large buildings or large hotels.”

But although naming the UNESCO World Heritage in Socotra-which requires preserving international agreements-is repeatedly speaking violations, another local guide, Abdel-Abd Al-Ghami, in a series of voice and written messages last month.

He said: “Some tourists build fires under the dragon blood trees, carved inscriptions into rare trees, leaving the garbage behind them and fearing birds with their drones.” But he added that many of the island’s residents benefit from tourism and that it is “very important” for “tourism companies, car owners, drivers, restaurants, hotels and sellers from hand.”

Ensuring his fears, Van Damm also said that endangered species “are only killed for a personal photo”, where rare species such as chameleon are taken so tourists can take pictures with them.

Al -Jami also said that he expects the number of tourists to rise with the discovery of more people, and “this will increase pressure on our environment.”

“It will be a big challenge,” he added.

Warning

Although the Galapagos comparison is often used to celebrate the biological diversity of Socotra, it can serve as a warning, according to Van Dam, who participated in the formation of 2011 Ticket On the human effects on the island.

Since the nineteenth century, Galapagos, remote islands about 600 miles off the main coast of Ecuador, known for their unique plants and animals, have lost many species settlement in disrupting habitats, and exit from gas species.

“Perhaps Socotran Environmental Systems” can be considered at that time [the Ecuadorian islands’] Nomination as a world heritage site 30 years ago. He added that Socotra risked a similar fate without “time conservation efforts.”

The paper added: “If we look at the case of the current day in Galapagos, we may look at the future of Socotra, or the best, what can happen if directions and threats continue in parallel.”

He said this evaluation “shows that it is very predictive”, especially with regard to climate change.

The Galapagos Islands now host more than 250,000 visitors annually, under strict controls including visitors’s hats, mandatory evidence, custom paths, and large tourist fees, which funds their preservation.

Van Damm said that Sukutra needs to carry out a similar protection before the damage becomes irreversible.

Culture and traditions

In addition to the environment, there are signs that tourism also erodes the social fabric of the island, according to Yahya, who said that there was already a “cultural transformation” between 60,000 of its residents, and many of them remain traditional deeply and talk about Soqotri, an ancient language that is not written with pre -Islamic roots.

“International behaviors affect the local population, and we are concerned about the erosion of our traditions,” he said, adding that while tourists were welcome, some need to be more respectful.

He said that the Instagram image of a woman demonstrating in Pikini under the dragon blood tree had disturbed the inhabitants of one mountain village, adding that he was seen as very respectful by the conservative population.

Despite the pressure, there are positive reasons, Van Damm said, noting that the island authorities are open to cooperation and that local conservative projects are gaining strength.

“Under the leadership of society and other continuous initiatives, it is vital,” he said. “As long as they continue, there is a real hope for the future of the island.”