Socotra Archipelago (Yemen)

Abstract

The Socotra Archipelago contains islands of high conservation importance. Since 2003, the Socotra Archipelago is a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve and since 2008 it was officially listed as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. In addition, the Socotra Archipelago contains currently the only Ramsar Site of Yemen (Detwah Lagoon), and it has been declared as one of 200 WWF Global Ecoregions for its unique terrestrial ecosystems (xeric shrublands), the status indicated as critical/endangered by WWF. Even the freshwater ecosystems that harbor several endemics have been given a special status, as Socotra is recognized as one of the globally outstanding Freshwater Ecoregions of the World. Socotra is also part of the Horn of Africa Biodiversity Hotspot as recognized by Conservation International, and listed as a Centre of Plant Diversity by Plantlife International, ranked among the richest yet most threatened biodiversity areas on the Planet. The Archipelago was declared as its own Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Area (EBSA) at the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) meeting in 2016, and the same year as an Endemic Bird Area by BirdLife International, which listed several Important Bird Areas (IBAs) for the Archipelago. A number of endemic plants and vertebrates from Socotra have been included in the IUCN Red List, but updates are needed and very few of the many endemic invertebrates have been listed. However, the biodiversity of Socotra is increasingly affected by impacts that affect ecosystems globally, such as unsustainable resource use and global warming which are now visible in the islands. We discuss the main threats and list some general conservation needs in the Socotra Archipelago.