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Astola Island, also known as Jezira Haft Talar or
'Island of the Seven Hills', is a medium sized, uninhabited island in
the Arabian Sea in Pakistan's territorial waters, some 25 km south of
Pakistan's nearest coastline and 39 km southeast of the Pakistani
fishing port of Pasni. Astola is Pakistan's largest offshore island and
the only significant offshore island in the northern Arabian Sea. The
area is about 6.7 km2 (0 sq mi). Administratively, the island is part of
the Pasni subdistrict of Gwadar District in Balochistan province.
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The island of Astola finds its first known mention in Arrian's account
of Alexander's Admiral Nearchos, who was dispatched to explore the coast
of the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Azadi and the Persian Gulf in 325 BCE.
According to Dr. A. V. Williams Jackson, "The seamen on board the ships
of Nearchos, being superstitious, like the sailors of all ages and
countries, were much frightened at the weird tales told about an
uninhabited island, which Arrian calls Nosala, and is now known as
Astola or Astalu. It lies nearly midway between Urmera and Pasni
headlands, and is to this day as much an object of dread to the Med
fisherman as it was long ago to the Greek sailors."
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Astola Island lies in the northern tip of the Arabian Sea, approximately
25 km south of Pakistan's Makran Coastline and approximately 39 km
southeast of the Pakistani fishing port of Pasni. It is also the
northernmost island of the Arabian Sea.
Its geographical coordinates are Latitude 25° 7'21.51"N and Longitude
63°50'51.53"E.
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The island is approximately 6.7 km in length with a maximum width of 2.3
km. Its highest point is 246 feet above sea level.
Astola Island can be accessed by rented boats via Pasni after travelling
by road from either Gwadar or Karachi via the Makran Coastal Highway.
Motorized boats from Pasni, on average, take 5 hours to reach the
island.
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The isolated location of the island has helped maintain endemic life
forms. The endangered Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the Hawksbill
turtle (Eretmochelys imbracata) nest on the beach at the foot of the
cliffs.
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The island is also a very important area for endemic reptiles such as
the Astola Viper (Echis carinatus astolae). The island is reported to
support a large number of breeding water birds including coursers,
curlews, godwits, gulls, plovers and sanderlings. Feral cats, originally
introduced by fishermen to control the endemic rodent population, pose
an increasing threat to wildlife breeding sites.
Astola Island is also home to coral reef. |