Reptiles: Of the 17 reptile species that used to be found in Mauritius, only 12 remain of which 11 are endemic species, and 7 of these are restricted to offshore islets where they escaped extinction from rats.Five of these species are restricted to Round Island. Although the population is decreasing, this plant is in the process of being reintroduced to the wild with the help of Pigeon Wood Nursery on Mauritius. Broad-billed Parrot Thanks to its tropical climate, the island retains an isolated and remote nature. Red Rail Mauritius Grey Parrot Your email address will not be published. In Rodrigues, the protection and monitoring of fauna concerns the Rodrigues fruit bat (Pteropus rodricensis), and two endemic and endangered birds species: the Rodrigues fody and the Rodrigues warbler. An island called Mauritius by the ones who came from afar to conquer its rare beauty and host of unique endemic plant life. Belonging to the Arecaceae palm family, it is related to the houseplant Areca palm and other common species. All rights reserved. payandeei (Columbiformes Columbidae) cucullatus (Columbiformes Columbidae) Mauritius Turtle-dove Today the oldest tree does not exceed 200 years. murivorus (Strigiformes Strigidae) punctatus (Falconiformes Falconidae) Mauritius counts 7 strict endemic species. There are more than 50 families of indigenous plants which are further sub divided into more species. . With competition, some plants turned into trees overtime. Soon after they discover an ebony tree species which is known as the best in the world. The Mauritius grey white-eye is the most common of these, being widespread across the island including in man-made habitats. As temperatures rise, the biodiversity of our planet continues to be further threatened. The plant life of this small island is diverse, with some species living only on Mauritius. Mauritius Night-heron It produces sprays of bell-shaped white flowers in the Mauritian summer, which is from January through March. The changes will take effect as soon as you reload the page. (Extinct), Aphanapteryx mayeri (Columbiformes Columbidae) Gnther's Gecko Phelsuma guentheri Boulenger 1885 is one of Round Island's threatened reptile species, currently listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and one of 17 extant endemic reptiles in the Mascarene Islands (Cole et al., 2009, Cole et al., 2018b).It is the largest extant Phelsuma species at up to 147 mm snout-vent length in adult males (Roesch et al., in prep). A number of native shrubs can be seen along the way and the beautiful illusion of the. Among the existing plants in Mauritius, about 35% are classified as Critically Threatened or Endangered as per the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list. Named after the famous French botanist, Louis Bouton, this endemic plant is found in only one locality in the wild. Click to allow/deny Google Analytics tracking. The bois dentelle (Elaeocarpus bojeri) was found in cloud forests at higher elevations on Mauritius. mauritianus (Passeriformes Zosteropidae) At last, it must be emphasised that many of the endemic plants have been traditionally used as healing herbs for many generations; namely Bois de Ronde, which has strong diuretic properties and is even known to eliminate kidney stones, and Baume de l'ile Plate, which is strongly expectorant when taken as a tea and releases stress when ingested as a flower essence. In 2009, approximately 50 % of the state plantation areas (some 6,000 ha of exotic plantations) have been set aside for the protection of ecosystem services (water catchments, soil protection, etc.). This also caused the disappearance and the extinction of birds and insects endemic to Mauritius. These include deer, monkeys and even wild boar! Rodrigues Blue-pigeon Mauritius Endemic Birds Checklist Understanding demographic limiting factors to species recovery: Nest Pink Pigeon, Nesoenas Flamboyant Trees In Mauritius | Let's Discover Mauritius But also orchids, lotus flowers, hibiscus and water lilies. This in part thanks to the works of Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, a dedicated specialist, a winner of international prizes such as the L'Oreal-UNESCO prize for "women in science" and who is now the President of The Republic of Mauritius; but also to the many workers at the regional forestry offices and last but not least to the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation. You can always block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and forcing all cookies on this site to be blocked. the open areas which did not provide adequate environmental conditions for seeds to grow. The Black River Gorges National Park is not only the Mauritian's favourite weekend spot, but also the place where some huge ancient ebony trees stand tall still today, where rare Bois Colophane Batard trees blossom with flowers sprouting directly out of their trunks, where endemic orchids can be spotted all year round and where once believed to be extinct birds hide in the branches of botanical rarities like Tetratraxis Salicifolias, while eager conservationists and dedicated park rangers work hard to keep invasive species out and endemic species thriving. This is a list of the bird species recorded in Mauritius.The avifauna of Mauritius include a total of 155 species, of which 28 are endemic, and 22 have been introduced by humans.. & N.J. Collar HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. White-eye, Zosterops Don't they look familiar? Today, only 1% of the endemic forest which covered Mauritius like a blanket 200 years ago is left. Among the natives are the Ebony, the Tambalacoque, Tamaka, Bois Dentelle and a number of palms. Such losses are expected to have adverse effects on the native plant communities by reducing habitat heterogeneity (e.g. It is from. Achievements MWF's best known achievement is the saving of the Mauritian Kestrel. With new technological means of discovery many plants thought to be extinct once are being rediscovered such as the Trochetia parviflora which has been seen after 138 years (Trochetia is also the national flower of Mauritius). Home - Global Trees All Rights Reserved. Mauritius Owl Compared to pristine Mauritius, a lot of tree species have gone extinct mainly due to human intervention and alien species propagation. But it is worth it! Today in the effort of regrowing the original species, one of the greatest challenge is combatting these invasives. . A must-see on the island that you can find on our SmartMap theme in our expatriation ToolBox! National Parks and Conservation Services. Trees heights were on average 24 m but rarely exceeding 30 m, with diameters in the 0.9 m to 1.2 m; Underwood of different tree species formed a secondary forest under the taller trees; Lianas and climbers span from one level of trees to another; Epiphytes and tree ferns added to the beauty of the stunning canopy. Bats: Bats are the only native mammal in Mauritius and Rodrigues. 2: Passerines. List of Indigenous plants Note: Indigenous plants are plants that occur naturally in Mauritius. But this will still prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when you revisit our site. It grows to more than 40 feet in height and is tall and thin. You can observe them through scuba diving, a flagship activity on the island! What is amazing is that these plants which have originated from other places in the world, brought over by wind, ocean streams and birds, developed to become their own species and cannot be found anywhere else in the world. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us personalise our website and application for you to improve your experience. Some examples of endemic plants in Mauritius are Trochetia boutoniana (Boucle d'oreille) and Elaeocarpus bojeri (Bois dentelle). Invasive alien woody species such as Acacia nilotica dominate all forest areas on Rodrigues and, with the exception of intensively restored areas in the nature reserves, no contiguous areas of native forest exist. details on possible inaccuracies in the list see, HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Mauritius has 691 species of which 273 are single island endemics and another 150 are Mascarene endemics, Rodrigues has 150 species, of which 47 are single island endemics, and 72 are Mascarene endemics. The Vacoas screw pine (Pandanus microcarpus) is a critically endangered plant native to Mauritius. There is a total of 711 indigenous plant species in Mauritius, including 246 that are endemic. You can also find various delicious fruits such as pineapple, mango, guava, jamalac , You can use this time to make the best fruit salads! Mauritius Endemic Forests ENDEM FOUNDATION /MAURITIUS All in all there are 15 Nature Reserves, on and around the island. Now NPCS directly supports community work by recruiting local labourers on contract who perform weeding operations under NPCS supervision and control. Many species have unfortunately disappeared over the centuries. Driving in Mauritius - Exchanging your licence. (Extinct), Nesoenas A reference in Mauritius, Endemika Nursery has specialized since 1998 in the cultivation of endemic species. Mauritius Checklist of Endemic Mammal Species This list of mammal species found exclusively in Mauritius is based on the taxonomy used in the Mammal Diversity Database (2020). forest with more than 50% canopy cover. Following a violent storm, five of their ships find refuge in one of the bays, and there begins the exploration. The Philatelist's Pick: Flora & Fauna of Mauritius - Part I: Endemic . Black River Gorges National Park: By far the best forest trekking experience is the Black River Gorges National Park in the south-west that is home to several native trees, endemic birds like the Pink Pigeon and Kestrel, waterfalls, water pools and presents scenic views of the island. An island called Mauritius by the ones who came from afar to conquer its rare beauty and host of unique endemic plant life. The flowers usually contain 4 to 5 petals up to 7cm long. The primary forest is lost while the remnant forest patches undergo rapid degradation due to many invasive plants as well as animal species. With its delicate pink flowers, Trochetia is also the national flower of Mauritius since 1992 when Mauritius officially became a Republic. You can also change some of your preferences. Negative trends have been registered for two bird species: Mauritius kestrel (Falco punctatus) and Mauritius cuckoo-shrike (Coracina typica) from 2002 to 2013. Terrestrial biodiversity | Republic of Mauritius Rodrigues Owl Le Morne Brabant Mountain: Hiking Le Morne Brabant Mountain in the south-west is a must-do activity as it represents one of the most important cultural roots of Mauritius. Click to activate/deactivate Google maps. pedicels to inch long, mostly shorter than their subtending Many of the native trees in Mauritius are unique and some even occur as sole individuals such as the Hurricane Palm on Round Island. She contributes to "Big Island Weekly," "Ke Ola" magazine and various websites. In Rodrigues, the exotic planted forest cover is estimated around 30 % of Rodrigues land area (Forestry Services, Rodrigues). He compiled a list of endemic trees and their . It became extinct four centuries ago after being hunted by animals imported from Europe and by humans. The roles of forests in reducing soil erosion, carbon sequestration, conservation of biodiversity and genetic resources, and providing recreation and ecotourism activities are now widely recognised and valued. Your email address will not be published. Please note that this may significantly reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Indigenous Plants - Mauritius bensoni (Psittaciformes Psittacidae) For security reasons, we are not able to display or modify cookies from other domains. Two species of fruit bat currently occur in the Republic of Mauritius: Pteropus niger in Mauritius and Pteropus rodricensis in Rodrigues. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. megacephalus (Pelecaniformes Ardeidae) Books have been written about the wonderful qualities of the endemic plants of Mauritius and visitors will certainly be enchanted by their beauty and the magical environment in which they grow: Island treasures indeed. In Mauritius, the fern-like leaves are in 3 varieties of colors: red, orange, and yellow. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. IAS threat is countered in forest areas by native forest restoration. Mauritius is a dreamland for botanists and eco tourism helps in dissipating the knowledge about many wonderful plants occurring on the island only. In the botanical garden of Curepipe, the loneliest palm tree or Hyophorbe Amaricaulis can be visited, greatly appreciated and regarded as the last of its species, standing lonely and a bit forlorn, dreaming it seems, about the old and golden days, when company was plentiful and life was sweet. Contradicting the name of its place of origin or perhaps the last remnants of a once flourishing population extending over both small islands, the two varieties of Baume de l'Isle Plate or Psidia are remarkable for the sticky texture of its leaves, and also for the fact that they only grow on such a remote place and nowhere else in the world. Reptiles: Of the 17 reptile species that used to be found in Mauritius, only 12 remain of which 11 are endemic species, and 7 of these are restricted to offshore islets where they escaped extinction from rats. There is a wide variety of flowers, among which laurels, red and orange bougainvilleas, camellias and even azaleas stand out. Rodrigues Parakeet As these providers may collect personal data such as your IP address, we allow you to block them here. The forests of Mauritius are small in area but perform vital functions, the most important of them being soil and water conservation. 1: Non-passerines & 2016 Vol. In 2013, the extent of reasonable quality native forest (>50 % of plant canopy cover) was estimated at around 2,600 ha. The conservation and restoration of the endemic forests are particularly important for a small isolated island such as Mauritius because its ecosystems are more fragile and susceptible to the invasion of exotic species which have smothered the last survivors of the endemic forests. Only one Hyophorbe amaricaulis palm remains at a botanical garden in the Mauritius town of Curepipe, which is at a high elevation and receives more rain than any other part of the island. In 1968, Rodrigues was joined with . Dodo Bird of Mauritius: From Discovery to Extinction - Yo Nature, The Coastal and Marine Biodiversity of Mauritius - Yo Nature, Offshore islets of Mauritius: National Parks and Nature Reserves - Yo Nature, 10 common medicinal plants in Mauritius - Yo Nature, Positive and Negative Impacts of COVID-19, Volcanic Eruptions: Positive and Negative Effects, Volcanic Eruptions Explained: Types and Examples, Effects of Droughts: Positive, Negative, Examples, Droughts Explained: Types, Causes and Examples. As for mammals, the island is inhabited by different types of species that were imported during the colonial era. 10 Want to Visit? RSS Feed, Biodiversity (Flora and Fauna) of Mauritius. (Extinct), Pezophaps In 2020, 10,827 macaques were exported from the country. There are more than 50 families of indigenous plants which are further sub divided into more species. Of its native flowering plants 39 % are unique to Rodrigues and 54 % unique to the Mascarenes (Mauritius, La Reunion and Rodrigues).