Roca Partida facts for kids
Roca Partida means "Split Rock" in English. It is the smallest of the four Revillagigedo Islands, which are part of Mexico. No one lives on this tiny island. Many divers think it is one of the most beautiful places to dive in Mexico. Divers need special permission from the Mexican Armed Forces to visit the waters around the island.
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Geography of Roca Partida
The four Revillagigedo Islands were all formed by volcanoes. Two of them, San Benedicto Island and Socorro Island, had eruptions in recent times. Clarion Island and Roca Partida have not had any known eruptions for a very long time. Over many, many years, Erosion has worn Roca Partida down to a bare rock. This means it has no plants growing on it.
Roca Partida is about 100 meters (328 feet) long and 8 meters (26 feet) wide. It has two peaks, or high points. A low area of rock sits between these two peaks, which is why it's called "Split Rock." In 1953, the two peaks were measured at 25 meters (82 feet) and 34 meters (112 feet) high. The taller peak seems to have gotten a bit shorter since then.
Amazing Marine Life at Roca Partida
Roca Partida does not have any fresh water, so no land animals can live there. However, the ocean around the island is full of amazing sea creatures! Many types of seabirds also come to the rock to lay their eggs. These birds include the Nazca booby (Sula granti), the Northeast Pacific brown booby (Sula leucogaster brewsteri), the East Pacific sooty tern (Onychoprion fuscatus crissalis), and the East Pacific brown noddy (Anous stolidus ridgwayi).
History of Roca Partida
The first time anyone officially reported seeing Roca Partida was in November 1542. This was during a Spanish trip led by Ruy López de Villalobos. He gave the island the name it still has today.
See also
In Spanish: Isla Roca Partida para niños
