Ile aux Aigrettes Mauritius

Ile aux aigrettes, so called because it once harboured several colonies of egrets (heron like birds) it is a 26 hectare islet found in the south east of Mauritius in the Mahebourg bay. It is approximately 800m off the mainland and can be easily reached by boats. The islet has been declared a nature reserve in 1965 because it is home a wide variety of floral and faunal species many of which have been rescued from the brink of extinction. The islet contains a unique type of coastal vegetation that used to be found in the coastal lowlands of Mauritius but has unfortunately been cleared in the name of development. Today the islet is currently managed and run by the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation (MWF), members of which regulate access to the islet. Numerous endemic species that were once in Mauritius but have been wiped out by human actions are found on Ile aux aigrettes. It includes the ebony tree (now critically endangered) which used to be all over Mauritius; it was overexploited by the earlier settlers for its high quality wood. Other plant species include the Bois de Boeuf, Bois de Fer, Bois de Chandelle, Bois Clou. Several ruins of ancient buildings can also be found which date from the time of the Second World War when the islet was used as a military base; even a canon still remains. In the past, two species of tortoises used to roam freely on the islet; they too went extinct with the appearance of humans. In an attempt to restore the ecology of the place to its previous state, giant Aldabran tortoises were brought to mimic the roles of the old tortoises in browsing in the year 2000. The kestrel, the only predatory bird in Mauritius, was released there to prevent its extinction as was the pink pigeon. Also present on the lands are the ornate day gecko and the Telfair’s skink. Goats and cattle used to graze there but they were removed as they were causing too much damage to the environment by browsing the native plants. Ile aux aigrette is an area of high biological significance in Mauritius and as such a lot of effort is done to protect its native flora and fauna. Restoration programmes have been undertaken to remove weeds that were suffocating the native plants and animals that were depredating the seeds and fruits of native plants as well as browsing on the plant parts. A nursery is even found on the islet to produce plants of endangered species which are then planted on the island. While the general public cannot roam freely on the islet, the MWF offers guided tours so as to educate people about the richness of the place and the potential threats to the environment. The money from the visits is invested into management programmes to help in the betterment of the islet restoration. So if you want to help protect an endangered plant or animal from going extinct, do not forget to visit Ile aux aigrettes on your trip to Mauritius!