KnowKi

Key Places for biodiversity

Learn the wildlife of Socotra

Yemen

Socotra is one of E.O. Wilson's Key Places, irreplaceable for life on Earth. 1,004 species have research-grade observations there on iNaturalist, and KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos.

Start this trip in KnowKi →
Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus140
  2. Somali Starling Onychognathus blythii92
  3. Socotra Sparrow Passer insularis79
  4. Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus39
  5. Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis35
  6. Sooty Gull Ichthyaetus hemprichii35
  7. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea32
  8. Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis30
  9. Socotra Sunbird Chalcomitra balfouri29
  10. Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis26

Plants

  1. Dragon blood tree Dracaena cinnabari212
  2. Desert rose Adenium obesum160
  3. Monolluma socotrana64
  4. Euphorbia arbuscula63
  5. Sibru Jatropha unicostata59
  6. Kalanchoe farinacea56
  7. Cissus subaphylla54
  8. Buxus hildebrandtii53
  9. Persian Violet Exacum affine48
  10. Croton socotranus48

Mammals

  1. Domestic Goat Capra hircus19
  2. Dromedary Camel Camelus dromedarius9
  3. Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops aduncus8
  4. Spinner Dolphin Stenella longirostris7
  5. Egyptian Mouse-tailed Bat Rhinopoma cystops7
  6. Small Indian Civet Viverricula indica6
  7. Short-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala macrorhynchus3
  8. Domestic Cat Felis catus3
  9. Domestic Sheep Ovis aries3

Insects

  1. Red-veined Dropwing Trithemis arteriosa59
  2. One-pip Policeman Coeliades anchises30
  3. Socotra Bluet Azuragrion granti28
  4. Common Bluetail Ischnura senegalensis27
  5. Epaulet Skimmer Orthetrum chrysostigma22
  6. Socotra Grasshopper Physemophorus sokotranus21
  7. Acorypha bimaculata19
  8. Scintharista forbesii19
  9. Diabolocatantops axillaris16
  10. Broad Scarlet Crocothemis erythraea15

Spiders and kin

  1. Red-legged Golden Orb-web Spider Trichonephila sumptuosa21
  2. Hottentotta socotrensis17
  3. Argiope sector11
  4. Socotra Island Blue Baboon Spider Monocentropus balfouri10
  5. Shorthorn Kitespider Gasteracantha sanguinolenta10
  6. Hemiscorpius socotranus7
  7. Brown Widow Latrodectus geometricus4

Reptiles

  1. Socotra Rock Gecko Pristurus sokotranus125
  2. Socotra mabuya Trachylepis socotrana55
  3. Socotran Chameleon Chamaeleo monachus32
  4. Socotra Sand Lizard Mesalina balfouri25
  5. Blanford's Rock Gecko Pristurus insignis23
  6. Abd al Kuri Rock Gecko Pristurus abdelkuri22
  7. Arabian Half-toed Gecko Hemidactylus homoeolepis19
  8. Socotra Giant Gecko Haemodracon riebeckii13
  9. Socotra Night Snake Ditypophis vivax8
  10. Grant's Leaf-toed Gecko Hemidactylus granti7

Fish

  1. Arabian Toothcarp Aphaniops dispar24
  2. Sohal Surgeonfish Acanthurus sohal23
  3. Rusty Parrotfish Scarus ferrugineus17
  4. Purple Tang Zebrasoma xanthurum13
  5. Indo-Pacific Sergeant Major Abudefduf vaigiensis11
  6. Kirk's Blenny Alticus kirkii11
  7. Blue-spotted Cornetfish Fistularia commersonii9
  8. Crescent Grunter Terapon jarbua9
  9. Laced Moray Gymnothorax favagineus8
  10. Convict Surgeonfish Acanthurus triostegus8

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

Start this trip in KnowKi →

Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. KnowKi is not affiliated with the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.