News
As part of the ‘Anou protez nou bann zil’ programme, which aims to engage various stakeholders in the protection of Mauritius’s islands, 22 members of the Southern and Eastern Divisions of the National Coast Guards had the opportunity to participate in an educational visit on Ile aux Aigrettes. They were led around the islet by two members of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation’s Education team namely Benny Henry (Education Assistant) and Vanessa Coralie (Education Coordinator). The visitors were shown the island's biodiversity, learning about the importance of its conservation and the impact of human activities on these ecosystems.
In preparation of this visit of Ile aux Aigrettes, two preliminary workshops were held on the 14th and 20th August, attended by officers from the stations of Mahebourg, Souillac, Le Chaland, Blue Bay, Bois des Amourettes, Deux Freres, Trou d’Eau Douce, Ile aux Cerfs, Poste Lafayette and Belle Mare, during which they were introduced to the island’s critical conservation projects undertaken and the key role they played in protecting endangered endemic species.
Ile aux Aigrettes, a small island off the south-eastern coast of Mauritius, is renowned for its ecological significance and as a refuge for rare species such as the Olive-White eye, the Mauritius Fody, the Pink Pigeon, the Günther's Gecko and the Telfair Skink. The visitors had a close glimpse of the threatened Mauritius Fruit bat as well as Aldabra Giant Tortoises juveniles and the Radiated Tortoises juveniles. The Education provided an overview of the ongoing conservation efforts, the challenges faced in maintaining the island’s delicate balance.
They also came to discover the long list of Mauritian extinct species through the various bronze statues found along the path but also in the museum like the Mauritius Scops Owl, the Mauritius Giant Skink, the Broad-billed Parrot or the Mauritius Blue Pigeon. They were both surprised and sad finding that the dodo was not the only species that we had lost.
At the end of the day, the visitors looked impressed with what they saw, asking a lot of questions to their guides of the day and acknowledging the good work the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation was doing on the islet. They were also very keen on learning how to better protect these ecosystems at their level.
