Past and present human impacts on the biodiversity of Socotra Island (Yemen): Implications for future conservation

Just to let you know that "THE SOCOTRA CONSERVATION ARTICLE: Past and present human impacts on the biodiversity of Socotra Island (Yemen): Implications for future conservation" by Kay Van Damme and Lisa Banfield just got published in the Zoology in the Middle East, Special Issue 3 (2011), currently free to download from http://www.kasparek-verlag.de!

World's Biggest Cave?

Straight from karstworlds and National Geographic
Britisch team led by Howard Limbert discovered what they claim to be the biggest cave in the world in a remote part of Vietnam.

A photography and filming crew from National Geographic Channel joined the team in 2010 on a 20 day expedition into Hang Son Doong ("Mountain River Cave").

Together with an international team of scientists they hiked deep into the jungle of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and descened into the abyss to find out the thruth: Is this cave really bigger then Deer Cave (Malaysia), the current record holder?

You can read the report of the expedion in the January 2011 edition of the National Geographic Magazine both in paper version as well as online. On the NGC website you can also find a nice picture gallery and an interactive map of Hang Son Doong.

The documentary "World's biggest cave" will be aired the first time in Europe on January 30th at 21.00 (GMT+1). You can find the trailer below:



And the 3D topographical map:

Best wishes for all!

Dear reader,

Now that this blog got updated for 2010, we can freshly start with this year.
Insh Allah, our new website about a decade of cave exploration and research of the Soqotran Underground will be put online later this year. SKP is still ongoing and our new Scope of Work of SKP10 is getting shape. We will keep you posted right here!

Best wishes, good heatlh, friendship, prosperity and happiness, especially to all our friends on Soqotra.

Messed up?

If you are totally “messed up” and still in need of a gift for under your tree, why not waste your money on this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h68adwH3VVM

Socotra Governance & Biodiversity Project 2010 achievements

Bohdana Rambouskova, Communication Officer of the Socotra Governance & Biodiversity Project, put the SGBP 2010 achievements on you tube:

Concern as Yemen ecotourism grows

Is ecotourism just a nicer word for tourism?
Hopefully the succes of the island is not going the start working contraproductive?

Saving rare plants from extinction in Socotra

Adeeb Hadeeb, 65, exploited his piece of land in Socotra to build arboretum to save rare Socotri plants from extinction. He has planted more than 20,000 saplings in the land although he has no regular income or any salary.

More to read in the Yemen Times