They talk about their lives on the island of Socotra, in a language whose origins are lost in time—unchanged for centuries and understood today by fewer people than live in Ames, Iowa.

Socotra Island covers an area of just 3,626 sq km (1,400 sq m), and yet this tiny Indian Ocean island lying off the coast of Yemen represents a treasure trove of dazzling biodiversity.

Socotra Island, part of the Socotra Archipelago in Yemen, is renowned for its unique biodiversity and high levels of endemism. The island is home to a variety of species that are not found ...