Wildlife of Mauritius
The wildlife of Mauritius consists of its flora and fauna. Mauritius is located in the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar. Due to its isolation, it has a relatively low diversity of wildlife; however, a high proportion of these are endemic species occurring nowhere else in the world. Many of these are now threatened with extinction because of human activities including habitat destruction and the introduction of non-native species. Some have already become extinct, most famously the dodo which disappeared in the 17th century.
Fauna
Mammals
Prehistorically, due to its isolated
The vast majority of mammalian species on the island have been introduced, either inadvertently or intentionally, by humans, such as the
These introduced mammals have had a varied impact on the island's pristine fauna. Given that they were free from natural predators, they rapidly grew to large numbers and were soon preying on and competing with the local fauna.
Bats
There were once three native species of fruit bats on the island, two of which were endemic to Mauritius. Only the Mauritian flying fox remains on the island. The Rodrigues flying fox is now only found on the nearby island of Rodrigues, and the small Mauritian flying fox has gone extinct due to human related factors. Two insectivorous microbats are also present, the Mauritian tomb bat (Taphozous mauritianus) and the Natal free-tailed bat (Mormopterus acetabulosus).[2]
On 7 November 2015, the government introduced a law authorising the culling of around 18,000 Mauritian fruit bats, despite protests, and despite the species' formal, legal protection and being ranked as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).[3] According to the IUCN, blaming the fruit bats for the "high" levels of damage caused to commercial fruit plantations is not substantiated, based on observations and research results.[4] By July 2018, the IUCN again ranked the fruit bat, only this time as an endangered species, following the previous years' (2015-2017) government-sanctioned killings. Despite this elevated concern status, and still being afforded legal protection, October 2018 saw a reinstatement of the cull; this most recent cull called for all but 20% of the fruit bat population to be killed, leaving approximately 13,000 (of the estimated 65,000) fruit bats.[5]
Birds
Over 100
Rodrigues has two further endemic species, the Rodrigues warbler and Rodrigues fody.[citation needed] Many small islands are named after birds, although some have seen their seabird colonies reduced or driven extinct by threats such as logging, poachers, or introduced species.[6]
A wide variety of birds have been introduced into Mauritius. These include some of the most common and conspicuous birds of the islands including the common myna, red fody, red-whiskered bulbul and zebra dove. The common myna is becoming a pest due to its well documented habit of displacing smaller bird species from their habitat and also destroying the smaller bird species young. The mynas were introduced for commercial reasons, primarily to help control the locusts which eat the sugar cane leafage. Instead, they prey on small indigenous lizards which are easier to catch due to their basking habits which is required for their metabolism. The lizards have become the myna's primary source of food. Because of this, an imbalance is being created with insects which the lizard would prey on which the common myna does not eat due to its inability to crawl under rocks and forage in the dense grass, flora, and fauna.
Reptiles
A number of endemic reptiles are found in Mauritius, particularly on
Two giant tortoises of the genus Cylindraspis, the domed Mauritius giant tortoise and the saddle-backed Mauritius giant tortoise, formerly inhabited the island but are now extinct. As the largest terrestrial herbivores they performed an important role in the natural Mauritian ecosystem and in the regeneration of forests. For this reason, the Seychelles giant tortoise from Aldabra, and the Radiated tortoise from the neighboring island of Madagascar, have been introduced to several conservation areas of mauritius such as the Pamplemousses gardens and various patches of remaining indigenous forest.
The
Freshwater fauna
In the 1950s,
Recently the berri rouge has been introduced in view of supplementing the diet of the local population in protein. These fish are related to the tilapia but are somewhat rosy coloured. They are mostly bred on aquaculture farms. The catfish is also a newcomer, and has most probably been dumped into local waters by aquarists. These fish are proving to be a nuisance and are disturbing the ecosystem of Mauritian rivers.[9]
All the above fish have been introduced. Indigenous fish are few, and one of them is the goby, locally known as the cabot. They are extremely voracious fish and have been observed to swallow fish almost their size. The adults are found mostly near estuaries while the younger fish prefer the lower course of rivers. Seldom active, they lie in wait to pounce on an unsuspecting prey. Gobies go to lay their eggs in the sea, and the larvae swim upstream around December. Locally known as bichiques, they are caught and eaten as a delicacy by the local population. But their numbers seem to have considerably dwindled. (There is another theory that gobies do not go to the sea but that their eggs are swept into the ocean by water currents; the larvae swim upstream in great numbers during the new moon.[citation needed])
A fish that can live both in sea and fresh water is the milkfish. Known locally as loubine, it is found in fairly great numbers near estuaries at particular times of the year. These young fish are often caught and eaten fried. However, this practice should be discouraged because these fish can grow very fast to adults weighing over 25 kg.[10] This is perhaps the fish that the Dutch saw when they first landed in Mauritius in 1598. As reported by historians: "they saw many fish in the streams around the coast, and some large birds which dived after the fish and ate them."[11]
The mullet also lives in shoals near estuaries but go up rivers in search of food. It is sometimes caught by fishermen on river banks who use bread as bait. However, it is a notoriously difficult fish to catch.
An easier game for the freshwater fisherman is perhaps the silver moonfish, which can also be fished along rivers, notably the Grand River North West.
Another indigenous dweller of Mauritian rivers and lakes is the
Crayfish are also found in many rivers, especially those that are swift running and well oxygenated. A crayfish, locally known as the bétangue, is endemic to Mauritius. It is easily recognized by its pincers, one being much bigger than the other. It is of a brownish-orange colour and can reach a size of 10 centimetres (3.9 in). It has nocturnal habits and is becoming very rare. Another variety is the chevrette sonz. It is of a smaller size and has thin pincers. A third variety is the camaron. It is light blue and the male is longer than the female, although the latter is of a bigger girth. Its size can sometimes exceed 30 centimetres (12 in) (pincers included). After hatching, the larvae of most crayfish go to live in the sea, and swim back to the river when they reach adult stage. This migration is often done against fast moving currents, and crayfish have been observed to climb waterfalls by clinging on rocks.
Freshwater crabs are often found in waterways close to the sea. During the reproductive period, the adults gather on some riverbanks near the coast. The eggs are swept into the sea by water currents, and on hatching the young are carried into the river or coastal pond by the tides. The crabs feed mostly on algae and other vegetable matter.
Soft shell terrapins with long necks have been noticed in some rivers. They are of Chinese origin and were apparently introduced in a river of the Moka District about a century ago; these reptiles are considered to be aggressive and are fast invading other rivers of the island.[14]
Marine life
Butterflies
About 39 butterfly species are known from Mauritius and Rodrigues. Seven of these are
Molluscs
Flora
Indigenous flora
Over 700 native species of
Native trees include eleven surviving species of Mauritius ebony (
The palm species that are indigenous to the island of Mauritius are
Mauritius is the home of a large number of endemic species of Pandanus (screwpine or vacoas), namely: Pandanus carmichaelii, Pandanus barkleyi, Pandanus conglomeratus, Pandanus drupaceus, Pandanus eydouxia, Pandanus glaucocephalus, Pandanus iceryi, Pandanus incertus, Pandanus macrostigma, Pandanus microcarpus, Pandanus obsoletus, Pandanus palustris, Pandanus prostratus, Pandanus pseudomontanus, Pandanus pyramidalis, Pandanus rigidifolius, Pandanus sphaeroides, Pandanus spathulatus, Pandanus vandermeeschii and Pandanus wiehei. The common vacoas sac (Pandanus utilis) of Madagascar has also been introduced and propagated in Mauritius, and it has now naturalised.
The national flower of Mauritius is
Introduced and invasive plants
Introduced plants that have become
For the purpose of landscaping and gardening in Mauritius, exotics have traditionally been used, and many of these have spread into the surrounding vegetation. Bougainvillea (
However, for urban and roadside landscaping Mauritius is beginning to turn to their many varied and unique endemic plant species. Many endemic species, such as bottle palms and ox tree, are now being used as ornamentals for both public landscaping and in private gardens across Mauritius.
Conservation
Conservation work in Mauritius is carried out by the Forestry Service, National Parks and Conservation Service (NPCS) and by non-governmental organizations such as the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) and the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT). Efforts to preserve native flora and fauna have included captive breeding, habitat restoration and the eradication of introduced species.
Protection involves three national parks, nature reserves, a range of other protected areas, and botanical gardens for education and public outreach. Black River Gorges National Park covers 65.74 km2 (25.38 sq mi) of land and another 45 km2 (17 sq mi) is protected by nature reserves such as Round Island and Île aux Aigrettes.[16][17]
National parks
- Biosphere Reserve which includes the Gerald Durrell Endemic Wildlife Sanctuary)
- Bras d'Eau National Park
- Islets National Park
Mainland nature reserves
- Macchabée-Bel Ombre Nature Reserve, the largest reserve (3,611 ha), formed from six constituent reserves in 1980.[18]
- Corps de Garde Nature Reserve
- Le Pouce Nature Reserve
- Perrier Nature Reserve
- Bois Sec Nature Reserve
- Gouly Pere Nature Reserve
- Cabinet Nature Reserve
- Les Mares Nature Reserve
- Grande Montagne Nature Reserve, Rodrigues (20 ha)
- Anse Quitor Nature Reserve, Rodrigues (34 ha)[16]
Offshore islets nature reserves
- Ile aux Aigrettes Nature Reserve
- Ile Plate (Flat Island) Nature Reserve
- Ile Ronde (Round Island) Nature Reserve
- Ilot Gabriel Nature Reserve
- Coin de Mire (Gunner's Quoin) Nature Reserve
- Ilot Marianne Nature Reserve
- Ile aux Serpents Nature Reserve
- Ile aux Cocos Nature Reserve, Rodrigues (14 ha)
- Ile aux Sables Nature Reserve, Rodrigues (8 ha)
Botanical gardens
- Pamplemousses Botanical Garden
- Monvert Nature Park
- Vallée d'Osterlog Botanical Garden
- Curepipe Botanic Gardens
Other protected areas
- Ebony Forest Chamarel
- François Leguat Giant Tortoise and Cave Reserve, Rodrigues
- Vallee de Ferney Conservation Trust
- St Brandon
See also
- Mascarene Islands
- St Brandon
- Cargados Carajos
- Mauritius
- Île Raphael
- Avocaré Island
- L'île du Sud
- L'île du Gouvernement
- L'Île Coco
- Islands portal
- Hope Spots: marine areas rich in biodiversity
- Important marine mammal area
- Law of the sea
- Marine park
- Marine spatial planning
- Special Protection Area
References
- ^ Salazar, Gabby. "Saving Mauritius's rare species". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-08-26.
- ^ "Observations—iNaturalist, Bats, Mauritius". iNaturalist. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
- ^ Aldred, Jessica (17 November 2015). "Conservationists urge Mauritius to halt cull of threatened fruit bat". The Guardian.
- ^ "Position Statement on the culling of the Mauritius Fruit Bat - (Pteropus niger)". Iucn.org. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 2017-08-26.
- ^ "Mauritius Fruit Bat Pteropus niger". Mauritian Wildlife Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013.
- ^ "Mauritius, once home to the dodo, rushes to save threatened seabirds". UN Environment Programme. 26 May 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ "(English) Developing a vision for St Brandon (Carajos Cargados Shoals) | tanymeva". www.tanymeva.org (in French). Retrieved 2017-09-21.
- ^ "President's Report of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation dated March 2016". Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- ^ "Le poisson-chat, un dangereux prédateur qui envahit les rivières", L'Express, 25 March 2013
- ^ Sea-fishes of Mauritius, Michael Atchia
- ^ A Short History of Mauritius, P.J. Barnwell & A. Toussaint
- ^ The eel, Knowledge, Volume X, p. 1828
- ^ "L'anguille centenaire attire les foules", L'Express, 18 March 2009.
- ^ "Gare à l'invasion des tortues à trompe", L'Express, 16 January 2013
- ^ "The Forestry Service : List of Indigenous Plants". forestry.govmu.org. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
- ^ a b [1] Archived 2016-09-15 at the Wayback Machine
- doi:10.1016/s0006-3207(96)00048-1. Retrieved 26 August 2017.)
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ "Major ecosystem type : Tropical humid forests". Mauritiusencyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2017-08-26.
Further reading
- Ellis, Royston; Richards, Alexandra & Schuurman, Derek (2002) Mauritius, Rodrigues, Réunion: the Bradt Travel Guide, 5th edition, Bradt Travel Guides Ltd, UK.
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation Accessed 13 November 2007.
- Sinclair, Ian & Langrand, Olivier (1998) Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands, Struik, Cape Town.
- Poissons de l'ile Maurice, EOI, Claude Michel (2004).
- Notre Faune, Claude Michel.
- Atlas des poissons et crustacés d'eau douce de la Reunion, P.Keith et al. (1999).
External links
- Marine Protected Areas by Project Regeneration
- Marine Protection Atlas - an online tool from the Marine Conservation Institute that provides information on the world's protected areas and global MPA campaigns. Information comes from a variety of sources, including the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), and many regional and national databases.
- Marine protected areas - viewable via Protected Planet, an online interactive search engine hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme's World Conservation Monitoring Center (UNEP-WCMC).