Barren Island, Volcanic island in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.
Barren Island is an active volcano in the Andaman Sea, roughly 138 km northeast of Port Blair. The cone rises 353 m above the water surface and forms part of a volcanic chain between Sumatra and Myanmar.
The first documented eruption occurred in 1787, followed by events in 1789, 1795, 1803, and 1852. After 150 years of dormancy, volcanic activity resumed in 1991 and continues to this day.
The name comes from the British colonial period and describes the sparse vegetation on the volcanic cone. The island is a protected area under the Barren Island Wild Life Sanctuary. Feral goats descended from animals brought by British sailors from a steamer leaving Port Blair in 1891 survive on two freshwater springs and thick vegetation.
Visiting requires special permission from Indian authorities, primarily granted for scientific research. The island is uninhabited and can only be reached by boat, with landings usually prohibited due to ongoing volcanic activity.
Feral goats have lived on the island since British sailors brought them from a steamer leaving Port Blair in 1891. They survive on two freshwater springs and thick vegetation on the volcano's slopes, a detail that surprised the geologists who found them.
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