Saint Helena
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EU OVERSEAS REGIONS OF GLOBAL With the kind support of: 7IMPORTANCE South Did you South Atlantic Atlantic know? Tristan da Cunha is the world’s most remote inhabited archipelago, 2000 km from Saint Saint Helena Helena and 3730 km south of Ascension - Cloud forest Located in the South Atlantic Ocean, the Island - the 3 volcanic island groups form the 4 island groups of Ascension Island, St most dispersed British Overseas Territory. © Mike Jervois Helena, Tristan da Cunha and the Falkland Islands differ immensely in climate, fauna Gough and Inaccessible Island of the Tristan and flora but all show a high number of da Cunha archipelago are home to one of the endemic species due to their remoteness. world largest seabird colonies and listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The smallest of the territories in equatorial waters, Ascension Island, is unusual for Ascension island is working towards creating having a high-abundance but low-diversity, a marine reserve of over 234,000 km2, almost sub-tropical biodiversity. St Helena has a as big as the UK mainland. diverse landscape with seven ecological zones which are determined by elevation The 2 main islands of the Falklands are and rainfall, ranging from semi-desert in surrounded by over 700 smaller islands and low lying areas to a small ‘cloud forest’ at islets with over 220 bird species as well as a the highest peaks. The Tristan da Cunha very rich aquatic biodiversity. archipelago encompasses four main islands, only one of which is inhabited. It has a mild St Helena hosts over a third of the UK’s but wet climate with a mixture of grassland, biodiversity with more than 500 endemic woodland and bracken communities and species. is a globally important site for breeding seabirds. The Falkland Islands provide St Helena produces one of the most breeding ground to 70% of the world’s expensive coffees in the world, exclusively Falkland Islands Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche sold in Harrods in the UK at £60 for 100g – King Penguins melanophrys) and a third of the global (2015). Southern Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes © Judith Brown chrysocome) population. The flora of the Territories islands consists of 163 native vascular plants, yet no native trees, and a highly diverse range of lichen and moss species. Ascension Island All four territories are sparsely populated, with all 10,000 islanders closely connected Saint Helena to their natural environment. Despite many proactive, locally-led conservation Tristan da Cunha initiatives the biodiversity and ecosystems in the region face many threats common Falkland Islands to islands, such as invasive alien species, (Malvinas) along with habitat degradation and the impacts of climate change. Ascension Island - Turtle sledge to rescue stranded turtles © Maria Taylor Falkland Islands – Nesting Black Browed Ascension Island © Simon Vacher, Redfern Natural History Albatrosses colony Tristan da Cunha – Rockhopper penguins © Trevor Glass Falkland Islands - Elephant Seals © Maria Taylor © Stewart McPherson, Redfern Natural History.