Millions of years of evolution could be wiped out on the “Galapagos of the Indian Ocean”.

Sitting next to African hornTHE Yemeni island of Socotra was widely left to his own devices for centuries, his few guests arriving to trade for aromatic incense, aloe of the healing plant and the crimson sap of the blood tree of the dragon, used for dyes.

Almost the size of Long Island from New YorkSocotra is around 140 miles off the coast of Somalia, a distant place that has enabled a unique ecosystem to flourish. It has a rich range of life of birds and animals, and the coral reefs on its banks are full of colorful marine life. A third of its 825 plant species cannot be found anywhere else on earth, According to UNESCO.

Some, including the curator Kay Van Damme, called him Galápagos From the Indian Ocean and with other experts, he warns that millions of years of evolution on Socotra could be under a “serious threat”.

“Climate change is by far the biggest threat to the island’s biodiversity,” said Van Damme, who has been working on Socotra for more than two decades in NBC News during a call last month. “It is a relatively small island with an arid predominantly climate. Even small additional impacts of climate change can have an excessive effect, exerting additional pressure on fragile ecosystems. ”

The prolonged droughts caused by climate change aggravate the damage caused by devastating cyclones in 2015 and 2018 which destroyed reefs, eroded soil and uprooted rare plants.

The endemic species of the pupil’s incense trees are also threatened. Four of the 11 species recognized on the island were classified as in danger criticized by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in March.

Five have been recognized as endangered. “Their decline reflects the broader degradation of terrestrial habitats through the island and the ecosystems they support,” said Van Damme, adding that overgrazing – mainly from goats – is another important challenge, leading to the degradation of the habitat and “leaving behind too matters with fewer trees to replace them”.

Increasing tourism imprint

Attracted by the virgin beaches of Socotra, turquoise waters and surreal flora, tourists also exert an increasing pressure on the fragile ecosystem of the island.

Although there is only one handful of hotels, mainly in the capital Hadibo, an increasing number of tour operators offer luxury campsite and 4×4 visits around the island, some of which are wrapped as ecotourism.

The authorities have agreed to limit the number of tourists to around 4,500 per year, said Ali Yahya, a local environmentalist and a tour operator, in an interview last month, adding that when it comes to “very sensitive areas in terms of ecosystems, biodiversity and cultural heritage, it is not strictly authorized to build large buildings or large -scale hotels”.

But despite Socotra UNESCO global heritage Designation – requiring conservation under international agreements – violations occur frequently, said another local guide, Abdulraoof al -Gamhi, in a series of voice and written messages last month.

“Some tourists build fires under dragon blood trees, sculpt inscriptions in rare trees, leave garbage behind them and frighten birds with their drones,” he said. But he added that many residents of the island benefit from tourism and that it is “very important” for “travel companies, car owners, drivers, restaurants, hotels and craft vendors”.

Echoing his concerns, Van Damme also said that endangered species “were just killed for a selfie”, with rare species like chameleons so that tourists can take photos with them.

Al-Gamhi also said that it expected the number of tourists to increase as more and more people discover the unique regional parameters, and “this will put a lot of pressure on our environment”.

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

A edifying story

Although the comparison of galápagos is often used to celebrate the biodiversity of Socotra, it can also serve as a warning, according to Van Damme, which co-wrote a 2011 study On human impacts on the island.

Since the 19th century, the Galápagos, islands far away at around 600 miles off the coasts of the continental equator known for their unique flora and fauna, have lost many endemic species because of the disturbance of habitat, surprise and invasive species.

“Perhaps the Socotran ecosystems,” wrote Van Damme at the time, “could now be considered at least a similar state of health of those of the Galápagos at the time of the appointment (the Ecuadorian Islands) as World Heritage Site 30 years ago.” He added that Socotra risked a similar spell without “timely conservation efforts”.

“If we consider the current condition in the Galápagos, we may have an overview of the future of Socotra, or better, which could happen if trends and threats continue in parallel,” added the newspaper.

This evaluation “proved to be very predictive”, in particular in terms of climate change, he told NBC News.

The Galápagos Islands now welcome more than 250,000 annual visitors, under strict controls, including visitors’ ceilings, compulsory guides, designated trails and substantial tourist costs, which finance conservation.

Socotra must implement similar protections before damage becomes irreversible, said Van Damme.

Culture and tradition

Beyond the environment, there are signs that tourism also erodes the social fabric of the island, according to Yahya, which declared that there was already a “cultural change” among its 60,000 residents, many of which remain deeply traditional and speak Soqotri, an ancient and unwritten language with pre-Islamic roots.

“International behavior influence the inhabitants and we worry about the erosion of our traditions,” he said, adding that even if tourists were welcome, some of them had to be more respectful.

An Instagram photo of a woman posing in a bikini under a tree of blood of a dragon had upset the residents of a mountain village, he said, adding that he was considered very disrespectful by conservative residents.

Despite the pressures, there are reasons to be positive, said Van Damme, noting that the island authorities are open to collaboration and local conservation projects are gaining ground.

“Community initiatives and other initiatives are essential,” he said. “As long as they continue, there is real hope for the future of the island.”