#flathal #flatstanley #islarobinsoncrusoe #chile
Robinson Crusoe Island is the second largest island in the Juan Fernández Islands, west of South America, part of Chile.
Why visit a small island with a population of 800? (With help from Gemini AI)
The Juan Fernández Islands are a biodiversity hotspot with a high rate of endemism. Here’s a breakdown of the endemic plants and animals:
Plants:
Over 200 native species of vascular plants: This includes flowering plants, ferns, and trees.
Approximately 62% endemism: This means about 126 of those species are found nowhere else in the world.
Endemic genera and families: The islands even have 12 endemic genera (groups of related species) and one entire endemic family, Lactoridaceae.
Examples of endemic plants: Drimys confertifolia (an endemic tree), Dendroseris (a genus of unique trees), and Juania australis (the endangered Chonta palm).
Animals:
Limited terrestrial fauna: The islands have no native land mammals, reptiles, or amphibians.
High endemism in birds: 3 endemic bird species:
Juan Fernández Firecrown (Sephanoides fernandensis) – a critically endangered hummingbird
Juan Fernández Tit-tyrant (Anairetes fernandezianus)
Masafuera Rayadito (Aphrastura masafuerae)
2 endemic subspecies of birds
Marine life:
Endemic Juan Fernández spiny lobster (Jasus frontalis)
Juan Fernández fur seal (Arctocephalus philippii) – once thought to be extinct, it has a recovering population.
How did the island get the name Isla Robinson Crusoe?
The island used to be known as Más a Tierra(‘Closer to Land’), but was renamed in large part because of a man who was marooned on the island for four years back around 1700.
His name was NOT Robinson Crusoe, nor was he part of a Swiss Family. He was a Scottish Navy Officer named Alexander Selkirk. His story of survival, along with those of others who endured similar experiences on other islands made it back to “civilization” and inspired Daniel Defoe to write the novel in 1719.
The novel Swiss Family Robinson, written nearly 100 years later, was inspired by Robinson Crusoe.
Both books have captured the imaginations of generations with their stories of survival… daring readers to imagine what creative ways they would come up with to make a deserted island “home”.
How would you survive? Would you build a small lean-to on the
ground? A little hut? Look for a cave to live in? Or build a treehouse?
Would you live near the water, and fish for your food?
Or would you live up high in the hills to make it easier to watch for rescue?
