Aride Island

Aride Islandis the northernmostgraniticisland in theSeychelles(Bird Islandis the northernmost Seychelles island overall). Anature reserve,it is leased and managed by theIsland Conservation Societyof Seychelles.

Aride Island

Aride Island Location of Aride Island in Seychelles
Geography
Location	Seychelles,Indian Ocean
Coordinates	4°12′48″S55°40′48″E
Archipelago	Inner Islands,Seychelles
Adjacent to	Indian Ocean
Total islands	1
Major islands	Aride
Area	0.71 km2(0.27 sq mi)
Length	1.65 km (1.025 mi)
Width	0.6 km (0.37 mi)
Coastline	4.23 km (2.628 mi)
Highest elevation	135 m (443 ft)
Highest point	Gros la Tête
Administration
Seychelles
Group	Inner Islands
Sub-Group	Granitic Seychelles
Sub-Group	Praslin Islands
Districts	Grand'Anse Praslin
Largest settlement	La Cour (pop. 8)
Demographics
Population	8 (2014)
Pop. density	11.2/km2(29/sq mi)
Ethnic groups	Creole,French,East Africans,Indians.
Additional information
Time zone	SCT(UTC+4)
ISO code	SC-14
Official website	www.seychelles.travel/en/discover/the-islands/

History

The name ‘Aride’ first appears on nautical charts after French voyages of exploration in 1770 and 1771. The first written account was in 1787 by Jean-Baptiste Malavois, French commandant of Seychelles, who described it as being “…no more than a pile of rocks covered with a few bushes.” Between 1817 and 1829 Aride was possibly an unofficial leper colony. In 1868, the Irishman Perceval Wright, who gave his name to Aride's unique gardenia and one of its endemic lizards, visited Aride. In 1883, the British artist Marianne North painted a scene on the island, reporting just one large tree, beneath which the island staff sheltered from the sun. Coconut palms were planted over much of Aride and copra production became important economically. Dogs, pigs, cats and chickens were introduced, though fortunately rats never arrived.

The wooden plantation house on Aride, overlooking the small settlement, is one of the last buildings of its type to survive in Seychelles.

For almost a century sooty tern eggs were cropped with up to 220,000 being removed each season. Not surprisingly the number of nesting seabirds declined and all endemic land birds were wiped out. However, in 1967, the island's owner, Paul Chenard, ceased egg collection and declared the island a reserve. In 1973, Mr. Christopher Cadbury purchased Aride for the Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves (nowRoyal Society of Wildlife Trusts). In 1979 it was declared a Special Reserve under Seychelles law, to include a marine zone of 200m around the island, with penalties including imprisonment for killing or disturbance of its wildlife.

In 2003, management was transferred toIsland Conservation Society.In 2006, the freehold was transferred to the UK Registered Charity Island Conservation Society UK and in 2008, the island was leased back to Island Conservation Society of Seychelles.

Geography

The island is part of the district ofGrand'Anse,located 10 km north ofPraslin islandand is 68 hectares in area.

Granite rock in the cliff of Gros la Tête – Aride Island. The thin (1-3 cms. wide) brighter layers arequartzveins, formed during the late stages of crystallization of granitic magmas. They are also sometimes called “hydrothermal veins”

Demographics

The only human inhabitants are the reserve's staff; currently four Seychellois rangers, two expatriate Conservation Officers and two volunteers. They live in the main village of the island, La Cour,on the south side of the island.

Government services

Being an island with a small population, there are not any government buildings or services. For many services, people have to go to Praslin.

Tourism

Today, the island is dedicated to conservation supported by ecotourism. It is known for huge seabird colonies, with more breeding species than any other singleSeychellesisland plus large numbers of non-breeding frigatebirds. The density of lizards is also one of the greatest on earth. There is only one beach, which faces south, making access difficult when the southeast trade winds are at their height (June to September) There is no overnight accommodation other than for the resident staff of the island but one can visit for the day by boat trip from neighbouringPraslin,8 kilometres to the south.

Transport

The only form of transportation is by foot.

Cuisine

Fish is the staple diet supplemented by fruit and vegetables grown on the island and other foodstuffs brought by the island boat fromPraslin.

Flora and fauna

Over 1.25 million seabirds regularly breed on Aride including the world's largest colony oflesser noddy,the largest Seychelles population ofroseate ternand the world's largest colony oftropical shearwater.There is also an enormous roost of non-breedingfrigatebirds.

There are five species endemic to Seychelles resident on Aride. TheSeychelles warblerwas introduced fromCousin Islandto Aride in 1988 and its population is now the largest in the world with over 2,000 pairs. TheSeychelles fodywas also introduced from Cousin in 2002, as well theSeychelles magpie robinfromFregate Island.TheSeychelles blue pigeonand theSeychelles sunbirdhave re-colonised Aride naturally.

Reptilian fauna includes several species ofskink,three species ofgeckoand three species of non-poisonoussnakes.Green turtlesandhawksbill turtlesare regular visitors to the beaches of Aride.

Aride is the only place in the world where the flowering shrub Wright's gardeniaRothmannia annaeis endemic.

Image gallery

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  Map 1
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  Map 2
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  Satellite view
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  The Lodge, La Cour, Aride
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  Beach
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  Tree withlianason Aride
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  Memorial Plaque of Christopher Cadbury