D'Arros Island
Encyclopedia
D'Arros Island is part of the Amirante Islands
which are considered part of the Outer Islands of the Seychelles
.
The island is located only 2 km west of the northern part of St. Joseph Atoll, but it is a separate geographical unit, separated by 60 to 62 m deep water of a 1.1 km wide channel, which is deeper than much of the Amirantes Bank. It is an oval-shaped, flat coral sand cay, oriented northeast-southwest, 2.0 km long and 990 meters wide, and nowhere higher than 3 meters. The island stands on a detached patch reef similarly orientated, with maximum dimensions of 2.8 and 1.4 km. A shallow sand spit extends 0.8 km northeast from it. The island stands on the northern sector of the reef. There are drying reef flats 250 to 400 m wide on its south side, but only a narrow fringing reef about 75 m wide on its north side. The land area of the island occupies 1.5 km². Much of the island area is covered by vegetation. The tree tops reach a height of 27 m. The vegetation is dominated by coconut palms and Casuarina
equisetifolia. In 1965, five Seychelles Fody
Foudia sechellarum from Cousin Island
were introduced to D'Arros and they have since increased to a population of a few hundred.
The island has a population of 85http://www.seychelles.travel/en/about_seychelles/island.php?rc=1&aid=53. There are several buildings on the island, with one large house for use of guests, who rent the island, and a number of smaller, permanently occupied houses are for the staff. A small area of the island is cultivated.
An unpaved airstrip 975 m long (ICAO code FSDA) bisects the island in the southwest. There are no regular flights but, occasionally, scheduled flights to nearby Desroches
divert to D’Arros.
The island bears the name of the Baron d'Arros, Marine Commandant at Mauritius
, then Île de France, from 1770 to 1771.
Formerly the property of prince Shahram Pahlavi
Nia of Iran since 1975, the island has been bought in 1998 by an undisclosed owner since then confirmed to be French billionnaire Liliane Bettencourt
(daughter of founder and main shareholder of L'Oreal
).
Amirante Islands
The Amirante Islands , a group of coral islands and atolls, belong to the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. They stretch about 155 km from the African Banks in the north to Île Desnœufs in the south, all on the shallow Amirantes Bank , except the main island Île Desroches in...
which are considered part of the Outer Islands of the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
.
The island is located only 2 km west of the northern part of St. Joseph Atoll, but it is a separate geographical unit, separated by 60 to 62 m deep water of a 1.1 km wide channel, which is deeper than much of the Amirantes Bank. It is an oval-shaped, flat coral sand cay, oriented northeast-southwest, 2.0 km long and 990 meters wide, and nowhere higher than 3 meters. The island stands on a detached patch reef similarly orientated, with maximum dimensions of 2.8 and 1.4 km. A shallow sand spit extends 0.8 km northeast from it. The island stands on the northern sector of the reef. There are drying reef flats 250 to 400 m wide on its south side, but only a narrow fringing reef about 75 m wide on its north side. The land area of the island occupies 1.5 km². Much of the island area is covered by vegetation. The tree tops reach a height of 27 m. The vegetation is dominated by coconut palms and Casuarina
Casuarina
Casuarina is a genus of 17 species in the family Casuarinaceae, native to Australasia, southeast Asia, and islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It was once treated as the sole genus in the family, but has been split into three genera .They are evergreen shrubs and trees growing to 35 m tall...
equisetifolia. In 1965, five Seychelles Fody
Seychelles Fody
The Seychelles Fody Foudia sechellarum is a small yellowish songbird that lives in the Seychelles islands of Aride Island, Cousin Island, Cousine Island, Fregate Island, D'Arros Island and as of 2004 Denis Island. The IUCN has recently changed the status of the bird from "endangered" to "near...
Foudia sechellarum from Cousin Island
Cousin Island
Cousin Island is a small granitic island of the Seychelles, lying 2 km SSW of Praslin. It is a nature reserve protected under Seychelles law as a Special Reserve and is run by Nature Seychelles, a national non-profit organization and Partner of BirdLife International .Until 1968, Cousin...
were introduced to D'Arros and they have since increased to a population of a few hundred.
The island has a population of 85http://www.seychelles.travel/en/about_seychelles/island.php?rc=1&aid=53. There are several buildings on the island, with one large house for use of guests, who rent the island, and a number of smaller, permanently occupied houses are for the staff. A small area of the island is cultivated.
An unpaved airstrip 975 m long (ICAO code FSDA) bisects the island in the southwest. There are no regular flights but, occasionally, scheduled flights to nearby Desroches
Desroches
Île Desroches or Desroches Island is the main island of the Amirante Islands, part of the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. It is located 230 km southwest of Mahé, the Seychelles' main island. It is 6.2 km long and has a land area of 3.24 km²...
divert to D’Arros.
The island bears the name of the Baron d'Arros, Marine Commandant at Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, then Île de France, from 1770 to 1771.
Formerly the property of prince Shahram Pahlavi
Pahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925–1941) and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty ...
Nia of Iran since 1975, the island has been bought in 1998 by an undisclosed owner since then confirmed to be French billionnaire Liliane Bettencourt
Liliane Bettencourt
Liliane Bettencourt is a French heiress, socialite, businesswoman and philanthropist. She is one of the principal shareholders of L'Oréal and, with a fortune estimated at US$23.5 billion, is one of the wealthiest people in the world.-Biography:...
(daughter of founder and main shareholder of L'Oreal
L'Oréal
The L'Oréal Group is the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics...
).