Tromelin Island

Tromelin Island, also known as the Isle of Sand, is a small, flat island in the Indian Ocean. It lies about 500 km north of Réunion and 450 km east of Madagascar. Both France and Mauritius claim ownership of the island, with France including it in the Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean, part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.

The island is used for scientific research and has a weather station. It is an important place for birds to nest and for green sea turtles to lay their eggs. Though very small, Tromelin Island plays a special role in studying nature and the environment.

Etymology

The island is named after Jacques Marie Boudin de Tromelin de La Nuguy, the captain of a French ship called Dauphine. He reached the island on November 29, 1776, and helped eight people from Madagascar who had been stuck there for fifteen years.

Description

Tromelin Island is found in the Mascarene Basin and is part of the Îles Éparses. It stands just 7 meters (23 feet) tall today. The island was once a volcano, but now it is worn down and has a ring of coral around it called an atoll.

The island is about 1,700 meters (1.1 miles) long and 700 meters (0.43 miles) wide, covering 80 hectares (200 acres). It is filled with scrubby plants, mainly octopus bush, and is bordered by coral reefs. Getting to the island by sea is hard because there are no ports, and the best place to anchor is not very good. The easiest spot to land is on the east side of the northern part of the island. There is a 1,200-meter (3,900-foot) airstrip that helps connect the island to the rest of the world.

Fauna and flora

Tromelin Island doesn't have many plants because of its harsh weather and lack of fresh water. Strong winds blow across the island most of the year, and sometimes big storms hit in the summer. The only plants that grow there are grass and small bushes.

The island is a special place for animals. Many hermit crabs, seabirds, and sea turtles live there. Green turtles and hawksbill sea turtles come to nest on the sand. The waters around the island are full of fish, and there are many types of coral. Some animals like rats, mice, and rabbits were brought to the island by ships that wrecked long ago.

Important bird area

Tromelin Island is very important for birds. It is a place where many seabirds lay their eggs and raise their young. Two kinds of boobies, called masked boobies and red-footed boobies, make their homes here. Sadly, rats that came to the island long ago hurt the bird populations. But after efforts to remove the rats, the number of bird species and pairs has grown a lot. There are no land birds that stay on the island all year.

History

The island was discovered by France in the 1720s and was named "Isle of Sand."

In 1761, a French ship called Utile ran aground on the island's reefs. The ship was carrying people from Madagascar to Mauritius. After the wreck, some crew members and about 60 Malagasy individuals reached the island. They built shelters and tried to survive. The crew left in a small boat to get help but did not return for many years.

It wasn't until 1776 that another ship arrived and rescued the survivors—seven women and a young child—who had been living on the island for 15 years. They had managed to stay alive by finding food and keeping a fire burning.

In 2006, researchers visited the island to learn more about what happened. They found evidence of how the survivors lived, including tools and remains of buildings. These discoveries helped tell the story of their time on the island.

Tromelin is administered by France as part of its French Southern and Antarctic Lands, but Mauritius also claims the island. Both countries have discussed how to share the island, but the final decision about who owns it is still being debated. France built a weather station on Tromelin in 1954, which still operates today.

Climate

Tromelin Island has a tropical savanna climate. The average temperature there is about 26.7 °C (80.1 °F) each year. February is the warmest month, with temperatures around 28.7 °C (83.7 °F), while August is the coolest, around 24.3 °C (75.7 °F). The island gets about 1,073.7 mm (42.27 in) of rain each year, with February usually being the wettest month. The hottest it has ever been was 36.3 °C (97.3 °F) on January 1, 1983, and the coldest was 17.4 °C (63.3 °F) on July 12, 1964.