2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
2.1 Study area
The Galite Archipelago, situated off the coast of Tunisia in the Bizerte
Governorate, holds significant geological and geographical interest.
Spanning approximately 40 kilometers northwest of Cape Serrat, its main
island, Galite Island, covers 732 hectares and boasts rugged cliffs
rising up to 200 meters high. Accessible primarily through the Bay of
Esquiel de Pasque, this island features diverse vegetation including fig
trees, cacti, olive trees, grapevines, and cereal crops (Ferrero, 2014).
Galite Island’s landscape is dominated by three distinct ridges: the
elongated Bout de Somme Ridge stretching from west-southwest to
east-north-northeast, the shorter Garde Ridge running from
north-north-northeast to south-south-southwest, and the smaller Bosse
des Galines Ridge oriented from north-northwest to south-south-southeast
(Belayouni,2010)
The island’s highest point, ”Bout de Somme,” stands at 391 meters and
offers panoramic views from an observation tower, accessible via a rocky
path traversing the island.
Additionally, the archipelago comprises two groups of islets: ”Les
Galitons” to the southwest, including Galiton Island and La Fauchelle,
and ”Les Chiens” to the east, consisting of Le Gallo, La Gallina, and
Pollastro .These islets add to the archipelago’s biodiversity and
provide nesting sites for various seabird species.( Figure 1)