Rare dragon blood trees in Socotra damaged by visitors
SOCOTRA, July 02 (YPA) – Recent images show that rare Dragon Blood trees and other species in the Socotra Archipelago, a UNESCO-listed natural reserve, have suffered damage threatening their biological integrity.
The photos show visitors carving names and phrases into tree trunks and deliberately damaging the bark under the pretext of documenting “memories.” This act is seen as a violation of the archipelago’s unique plant life
Environmental specialists in Socotra said these actions amount to a direct assault on ancient trees that took hundreds of years to reach their current state, warning of serious consequences for the island’s biodiversity.
They stressed that injuring a tree trunk does not only damage its appearance but also creates openings that allow insects, fungi, and other pathogens to enter, weakening the tree and accelerating its eventual death.
They added that Socotra’s rare trees grow extremely slowly and depend on a fragile ecosystem that is difficult to restore if damaged or lost due to human activity.
The specialists also noted that, as in other regions, archaeological and natural sites are often subjected to graffiti with spray paint, citing what they described as negligence by relevant authorities in providing adequate signage and awareness boards to discourage such behavior.
@E.Y.M