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)