D'Arros Island, Coral sand cay in Amirante Islands, Seychelles.
D'Arros Island is a flat coral cay in the Amirantes, a remote group of islands in the Seychelles, with an oval shape and a maximum height of about 10 feet (3 meters). Coconut palms cover most of the land, and the interior remains largely undisturbed.
European sailors reached the island in 1770 and named it after a French officer active in the Indian Ocean at the time. Over the following centuries it served as a fishing settlement and a small coconut plantation.
D'Arros Island is used by a small research station focused on the protection of sea turtles and sharks. Visitors who gain access can observe the ongoing scientific work directly on the ground.
The island is accessible only by small aircraft landing on an unpaved runway, and access is restricted to invited guests and researchers. Planning well in advance and obtaining explicit permission is necessary before any visit.
D'Arros Island sits next to the St. Joseph Atoll, one of the most important shark nursery areas in the Indian Ocean, which makes it a key site for shark research. Scientists regularly tag and track sharks there to map their movements across thousands of miles.
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