Ilhéu Branco
Ilhéu Branco (Portuguese for "white islet") is an uninhabited 300 ha islet in the Barlavento group of the Cape Verde archipelago off the coast of north-west Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. Branco is flanked by the islands of Santa Luzia to the north-west and by Raso to the south-east.
Description
Branco is a large rectangular rock, 4 km long by 1 km wide, rising steeply to a ridge running the length of the island, with a maximum height of 327 m. Seas around the island are usually rough throughout the year, making access difficult.[1]
Fauna
The Cape Verde giant skink, which only occurred on Branco and Raso, has not been seen since the early twentieth century and is considered extinct. It is thought to have been wiped out through over-exploitation by humans for its skin and for food. The Cape Verde giant gecko (Tarentola gigas) is still present. The island has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports 2500–3570 breeding pairs of Cape Verde shearwaters as well as peregrine falcons and Iago sparrows.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Ilhéu Branco". Important Bird Areas factsheet. BirdLife International. 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
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Coordinates: 16°39′N 24°41′W / 16.650°N 24.683°W