Saint Helena is a volcanic tropical island in the South Atlantic Ocean, part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. It is one of the most remote islands in the world and was uninhabited when discovered by the Portuguese in 1502. From 1659 it has been a British possession, apart from a short Dutch interlude in 1673, and was an important stopover for ships sailing to Europe from Asia and South Africa for centuries.
The island is ringed by precipitous cliffs whilst the interior is an island of contrasts, including barren deserts, pastureland and cloud forest. In 1502 Saint Helena was a pristine wilderness, with six endemic land birds and extensive forests of endemic plants. Although, within a century much of it had been denuded by settlers and wild goats, it was recognised by Darwin as having no biological parallel anywhere in the world.
The island remains a treasure trove of endemic biodiversity, due to the long period of isolated evolution, with over 400 known globally unique species in its 47 square miles, including tree ferns, giant tree daisies, desert-dwelling nocturnal spiders, and the wirebird. The past three decades have been marked by concerted efforts to conserve the remaining endemics and restore tracts of native forest.
About the stamp
The stamp, depicting Red-Billed Tropicbird, is part of a series of 12, Birds, issued on November 11, 2015.
References
Island of Saint Helena - UNESCO official website
Sender: Dana
Sent from Jamestown (Saint Helena / Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha / United Kingdom), on 28.01.2020
Photo: Ed Thorpe
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