Tinhosa Grande

Tinhosa Grande
Map of São Tomé and Príncipe with Tinhosa Grande on the top
Geography
Location São Tomé and Príncipe, northeast of the island of São Tomé Island and about 20 km (12 mi) SW of Príncipe Island
Coordinates 1°21′53″N 7°16′40″E / 1.3646°N 7.2777°E / 1.3646; 7.2777Coordinates: 1°21′53″N 7°16′40″E / 1.3646°N 7.2777°E / 1.3646; 7.2777
Area 1 km2 (0.39 sq mi) (approx.)
Highest elevation 75 m (246 ft) (approx. 50 to 100 m)
Administration
Demographics
Population 0
Additional information
Stratovolcano

Tinhosa Grande is an islet in São Tomé and Príncipe located 100 km (62 mi) northeast of the main island of São Tomé and approximately 20 km (12 mi) southwest of the island of Príncipe. The islet is south of nearby smaller islet named Tinhosa Pequena by a few kilometers.

Since 2012, it forms a part of the UNESCO's Island of Príncipe Biosphere Reserve (also known as Príncipe Biosphere Reserve as it encompass its surrounding islands).[1]

Numerous seabirds dominate the islet including Anous stolidus, Anous minutus, Onychoprion fuscatus, white-tailed tropic bird (Phaethon lepturus) and the brown booby (Sula leucogaster)[2] These are also founded on the neighboring islet. Never been founded up to the 20th century, a new species of skinks of the Trachylepsis genus named Trachylepsis adamastor were described before 2015, its English name is the Tinhosa Grande skink

Geography

The islet contains dry grasslands and rock ledges up to 40 m (130 ft) high.

History

The islet is of volcanic origin and likely originated not of the volcanic vent from Príncipe. During the Ice Age, the islet elevation was under 150 meters, about 7,000-6,000 BC, its elevation was over 100 meters.

The two islets was first discovered between 1470 and 1471, during the discovery of the island of Príncipe by the Portuguese explorers of João de Santarém and Pêro Escobar.

On 1 November 1929, the path that showed an annular eclipse was inside the islet.[3] The sky was partly dark and the weather conditions were unknown.

Panorama

The islet can be seen from the southwestern part of Príncipe Island, but only rarely from São Tomé Island.

References

  1. ↑ "World Network of Biosphere Reserves". Island of Príncipe. UNESCO. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  2. ↑ Christy, Patrice (17 March 2011). "Important Bird Areas in Africa and associated islands" (PDF). pp. 727–731. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
  3. ↑ "Solar eclipse of November 1, 1929". NASA. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
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