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The presentation skimmed over a few subjects related to conservation. Firstly, the participants were exposed to the fact that forests in Mauritius were spread between private lands and public lands and that some of them were reserves.
They came to know more about the scientific works being done to preserve land birds like the conception of specific nest boxes for the Mauritius Kestrel or the Echo Parakeet which make up for the lack of natural nest sites and also prevent the eggs and the chicks to be predated by invasive alien species. The captive breeding concept was also explained with much information about egg harvesting, incubating, hand rearing and then releasing in the wild.
More than a lecture, the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation wants its workshops to be a platform for exchanges between its team and all the participants. We were happy that a few participants shared their experiences and asked questions. Some shared their experience visiting Ile aux Aigrettes and how interesting they found the place and its ecosystem.
Another participant asked what precautions people visiting islets needed to take to avoid destroying the ecosystem. It enabled our Education Team to develop further on the subject mentioning that the main precautions would be to, firstly, clean their footwear by brushing off any dirt and debris from their pants/leggings and shoes or other footwear before setting foot on the islets to avoid bringing any invasive seeds. They were also told about things to avoid during the visit like making noise, breaking branches, leaving waste on the islets or lighting a fire. The latter could have disastrous effects on the vegetation as well as skinks or other animal species which live on the ground.
The Connecting with Nature Programme was set up in 2020 following the Education Strategy workshop facilitated by Chester Zoo held in September 2019. The programme comprises awareness events relative to the conservation of endemic flora and fauna of Mauritius with various audiences. For example, school children get better acquainted with the biodiversity of Mauritius through presentations, discussion sessions and games. They are sensitised to the threats to the native ecosystem and learn about the problems caused by introduced invasive species.
In addition to students, the programme is designed to reach teachers and heads of schools. Furthermore, other sections of the Mauritian public are included as intended audiences in the programme.
The Mauritian Wildlife Foundation would like to thank our partners, the Forestry Service, and the National Parks & Conservation Service for their support in this education programme and the Mauritius Commercial Bank, who is the exclusive funder.
