News
Recently, a group of 24 young adventurers from the Ste Cecile RCA School, and their chaperones, participated in a memorable expedition on Ile aux Aigrettes. This visit was sponsored by the MOL Charitable Trust and organised in the context of the Learning With Nature programme of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF).
Led by a guide from MWF’s Ecotours team, the children embarked on a nature walk that revealed the island’s unique biodiversity. Ile aux Aigrettes is home to several endangered species, including the Günther's gecko (Phelsuma guentheri), the Pink Pigeon (Nesoenas mayeri), and the Olive White-Eye (Zosterops chloronothos). For many of the kids, this was their first encounter with these rare animals.
They also saw several endemic plant species like the Latanier bleu (Latania loddigesii), the Vacoa (Pandanus vandermeeschii) or the Bois de rat (Tarenna (Coptosperma) borbonica). The group learned about the conservation efforts in place to protect these species and their habitats and their importance.
The sight of a giant Aldabra tortoise slowly ambling through the underbrush was particularly captivating. Their journey turned into a charming story of discovery and learning.
The Learning With Nature programme aims to introduce children to the conservation work being carried out in Mauritius. The tour follows the Sentier du Dodo nature trail, which covers about 1.5 km. Along the path, the children learn about the flora and fauna as well as conservation work. We also look at the history, geography and geology of the island. Stop-points along the trail enable the participants to take part in hands-on activities, exploring themes such as biotic and abiotic factors, habitat, herbivores and carnivores, endemism, food chains, and many more conservation notions.
