WHY THE ASCENSION ISLAND IS A BEAUTIFUL GEOGRAPHICAL LOGIC FAIL
Added on: 27th Nov 2016
FIXING DARWIN'S PROBLEMS
The current plan to reverse the damage includes
introducing a variety of invasive species to combat the
invasive species which are currently running rampant
on the island. (But how can we be sure that the new
invasive species won’t become as bad as the old ones?)
ISLAND MONEY
Now this really doesn’t make sense. Though the Ascension
Island is part of the British Overseas Territory of
Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha,
the latter uses the mainland British pound sterling while
St. Helena and Ascension use the Saint Helena pound.
YET ANOTHER INVASIVE SPECIES
While setting up transmitters to beam signals to Africa and
South America, BBC crews introduced an invasive species
called the Mexican thorn to hold the top soil together.
What seemed like a good idea at the time has led to
massive ecosystem destruction. Just as the engineers
laid down roots, the Mexican thorn sends down roots
up to 100ft (30m) deep.
A SPACE HUB
The European Space Agency tracks rocket launches from
the island and NASA monitored the famous Apollo moon
landing from its crags. Nowadays, heaps of satellite
dishes are dotted around the mountains.
ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING NATIVE SPECIES
The largest native land animal on Ascension Island is the land crab.
TURTLE SOUP
Ascension’s turtles used to be a popular meal for passing sailors.
The seafarers would bring turtles on board and turn them
on their backs, often keeping them alive for weeks at a
time before boiling them into a soup.
ASCENSION'S EXPORTS
Ascension Island imports most of its food and supplies, but
it does have two notable export items: postage stamps and
commemorative coins.
THE CASTAWAY
Dutch mariner Leendert Hasenbosch was exiled on
Ascension in 1725 for being homosexual. Sailors who
arrived the following year found his diary which included
his frantic search for resources on the barren island.
To extend his survival, Hasenbosch even took to
drinking turtle blood. His body has never been found.
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