Clarion Island

The Clarión Island, formerly called Santa Rosa Island, is the second largest island and the westernmost of the Revillagigedo Islands (currently belonging to Mexico, specifically to the state of Colima), 314 km west of Socorro Island. The island is 8.54 km by 3.68 km in size, with an area of 19.80 km². It has three prominent peaks, the highest, Mount Gallegos, 335 meters above sea level. The central peak is called Monte de la Marina (280 m), and the eastern peak is called Monte de la Tienda (292 m). The coasts are bordered by cliffs ranging from 24 to 183 meters high, with the exception of the middle part of the coast towards the south, in the vicinity of Azufre Bay, which is the only town with a small military garrison of 9 marine.

Since 1994, this island has been considered a biosphere reserve by the Mexican government.

This is the closest point between the exclusive economic zone of Mexico and that of France, due to the proximity of Clarión Island to Clipperton Island (which once belonged to Mexico but was ceded after the Mexican Revolution to the French government and is currently administered by French Polynesia). From its highest point, Mount Gallegos, you can admire the majesty of the Pacific Ocean and, according to researcher Harry Moller, you can observe 600 to 700 whales that arrive to these coasts every year, from November to February. reproduce.

Clarión Island has rocks that resemble large castles and reach up to 90 meters high.

History

Clarión Island was discovered at the end of 1542 by the Spanish navigator Ruy López de Villalobos, but with the exception of a possible sighting of the Revillagigedos by Juan Fernández de Ladrillero before 1574 and a brief residence of the adventurer Martín Yáñez de Armida on the island he later renamed Socorro (1606), the archipelago was neglected by the Spanish. Joris van Spilbergen's sighting of the entire group in December 1615 appears not to have been observed in Spain or its American colonies.

Clarion was seen again by the English privateer George Shelvocke on the Speedwell, on August 21, 1721.

The name of the island dates back to the American brig Clarion, Captain Henry Gyzelaar, which was engaged in the North Pacific trade around 1820.

Flora and fauna

The island has twelve endemic species of birds, as well as the fluorescent blue lizard. There are also reptiles, snakes, arachnids and insects that are adapted to the extreme conditions of the island; because in 7 months heavy rain falls and the rest of the year there is a shortage of water. With such a severe condition of lack and excess of water, it is natural that vegetation is scarce. It consists only of sparse grasses, grasses, bushes and the occasional scrawny tree. Quite the opposite happens with marine life, which is abundant in sharks, manta rays, lobsters, octopuses and crabs.

Man introduced the European rabbit to the island, which seriously damaged the ecosystem, but there is also a flock of crows on the island that maintain an ecological balance by devouring baby rabbits or those that are too old.

In 2013, several specimens of the snake Hypsiglena unaocularis commonly called "Clarion night snake" were found on the island. which was believed to be extinct for more than 80 years.