Aride Island

phelsuma madagascariensis grandis, phelsumen, genus, reptilia, gecko, gekko, gekkonidae, gekkota, reptiles, biology, ecology, biogeography, evolution, species dispersal, adaptive radiation, rodrigues, aldabra, captive care, laticauda, vitamines, green, day gecko, lighting, palm, breviceps, modesta primary forest ampasindava madagascar masoala, mangabe, nosy be, national park RNI lokobe, ankarafatsika,phelsuma, phelsuma laticauda, madagascar, daygeckos, daygecko, mauritius, seychelles, mascarenes, reunion, réunion, comoro, comoros, lineata, cepediana, phelsuma guimbeaui, phelsuma andamanensis, phelsuma abbotti, laticauda, madagascariensis, phelsuma lineata, serraticauda, guimbeaui, phelsuma laticauda, phelsuma madagascar, daygecko, daggekko, taggecko

Introduction

Aride is a strict Nature Reserve, protected by the Royal Society of Nature Conservation (RSNC). It is the northern most Granite island, 1.6 kilometres long and 600 metres wide, lying some 46 kilometres from Mahé and 15 kilometres from Praslin. The highest point, Gros la Tête, rises some 152 metres. The island is partly surrounded by a coral reef which is part of the reserve.

Ecologically, Aride is a key island in the region, its soils made up of red earths on the higher ground, with a deep blackish topsoil containing guano, deposited through the centuries by breeding seabirds, on the plateau. It is probably the guano that has rendered Aride so fertile. Its vegetation is now the most natural of any of the smaller granitic islands.

Rocky shore of Aride Island Aride has the highest density of lizards anywhere on earth. The island is also famous for the Wright's gardenia or bois citron which is an endemic plant only seen on Aride.

The island was purchased in 1973 for the RSNC by Christopher Cadbury, the English chocolate industrialist and President of the RSNC.

Phelsuma species

P. astriata semicarinata