5 Strange Animals Inhabiting Socotra Island, Number 4 Can Change Color

Socotra Island is located between the Guardafui Channel and the Arabian Sea

INDONEWTRAVEL.COM - Socotra Island is located between the Guardafui Channel and the Arabian Sea. This island is known as a mysterious and isolated island. Some even call it an alien island and the Dajjal's hideout.

Located about 220 miles from Yemen, the island of Socotra is home to many endemic species, both flora and fauna. They can adapt to unfavorable environments, including hot and dry conditions, resulting in a unique appearance and different from the flora and fauna in general.

Compiled from various sources, here are some endemic animals on Socotra Island:

1. Socotra Sunbird

The Socotra Sunbird is a species of bird from the Nectariniidae family and is one of the endemic animals of Socotra Island. Quoted from World Atlas, the adaptation of this bird is almost similar to the Starling Bird because it can survive in an ecosystem of humid tropical shrubs and bushes in the highlands.

Socotra Sunbird is not endangered like other endemic animals. It's just that the main danger is that he risks losing his habitat. Judging from its appearance, this bird is brown with a combination of white. Apart from that, he also had some stripes on his fur.

Chalcomitra Balfouri (its scientific name) produces a wide variety of loud sounds and can be a sequence of fast or long melodic bursts. Their food is insects such as crickets, spiders, to fruits such as euphorbia. Regarding reproduction, Socotra sunbird lays eggs between January and May. They live in a nest that resembles a dome shape.

2. Socotra Starling

This Socotra starling belongs to the Sturnidae group. As an endemic animal, this bird can only be found in Socotra and is under threat of losing its habitat.

Quoted from World Atlas, according to Richard Porter, Socotra Starling is very flexible and docile. In addition, it survives in various types of environments as observed from its various nests. He is very comfortable in vegetation such as subtropical moist soil, tropical dry forest, dry bushland, and certain areas.

This bird has a fairly large size, dark color, has a long tail and shiny black feathers. It feeds on insects and fruit, including dragon blood trees and zizyphus. In addition, the incubation of the socotra starling takes place in November and breeds between December and March.

3. Warbler Socotra

Scientifically, this bird is known as Incana incana and belongs to the Cisticolidae group. The Socotra warbler is said to be the only remaining incana species and is found only in Socotra.

Most of these birds live in cool tropical bushland or dry scrubland. However, currently they are faced with the threat of losing their habitat because some of the vegetation has been destroyed by extreme deforestation.

The warbler socotra is slightly longer with a cream colored face and neck. Most of them are insectivorous. This bird builds a nest out of grass and decorates it with moss, so it looks like a ball that is structured and has an entrance on the side.

4. Socotra Chameleon

This animal is one of the chameleon species that is endemic to the island of Socotra. Just as chameleons in general can change shape, Socotra Chameleon can also mutate its skin pigment to resemble its environment so it is not conspicuous.

When he is surprised or startled, the socotra chameleon will make a heckling sound according to his frame of mind. Quoted from wikipedia, this endemic animal is threatened with extinction due to overgrazing. Socotra Chameleon usually lives in shrubs and sometimes in oil palm plantations.

5. Socotra Grosbeak

Scientifically this bird is known as Rhynchostruthus Socotranus and is known as an endemic animal because it is only found on the mainland of Socotra. The male Socotra Grosbeak has a brown appearance with a dark beak and head. Then there are also yellow spots on the wings and white spots on the cheeks.

In the female grosbeak socotra, the appearance is almost the same. Only they looked darker. As for the young species, they have a striped head design.

Socotra Grosbeak can adapt to a variety of habitats, from forests, uplands, to dry shrubs.