Based in Senegal, climate reporter Annika Hammerschlag first heard about the dragon’s blood tree—a rare, umbrella-shaped species found only on the remote island of Socotra—in 2020. It took years to make the story a reality.
Traveling to Socotra is risky and logistically challenging, with limited transportation options and few places to stay. Once there, Hammerschlag had to navigate cultural and language barriers to report on the trees and the people trying to protect them.
She found a story of deep environmental concern: the dragon’s blood trees are under threat from increasingly powerful cyclones fueled by climate change, invasive goats that eat seedlings, and a lack of resources for conservation due to Yemen’s ongoing civil war.
The final story offered readers a rare glimpse into an extraordinary place—and a fragile ecosystem facing multiple threats. Striking photos of the island’s otherworldly landscape and its iconic trees helped bring the story to life for audiences who may never set foot on Socotra.
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