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:: Special Interests
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Seychelles |
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Aride Island |
This island together with 200m of offshore waters forms a
marine reserves and all wildlife within is strictly protected.
The coral reef supports over 400 species of fish, including
larger species such as Bumphead Parrotfish, Lemon and Nurse
Sharks and good numbers of Spotted Eagle Rays, and is used
by resident Bottle-nosed Dolphins, Hawksbill Turtles (66 nests
on Aride's beach in the 2002-03 season) and a few Green Turtle,
which is now rare in the granitic islands. Of the island's
one million breeding seabirds, inshore-feeding species such
as Bridled Tern and Fairy Tern also use the marine reserve
as a source of food. Various trails on the island allow tourist
to observe the fascinating fauna & flora up close.
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Seychelles |
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Cousin Island |
Cousin has been a nature reserve since 1968 when it was purchased
by the Royal Society for Nature Conservation. In 1975 it was
declared a special reserve by the Seychelles government, first
managed by Birdlife International and now by local environment
group Nature Seychelles. Cousin is one of nature's treasure
troves where every year 250,000 birds nest, among them the
Seychelles sunbird, red turtle dove and moor hen. The island
is also home to many fairy terns, noddies, frigate birds and
shearwaters as well as being a place where certain species
such as the Seychelles bush warbler have recovered from the
edge of extinction. There is a population of geckoes on the
island, giant tortoises introduced from Aldabra and Cousin
is also a favorite nesting site for hawksbill turtles. Cousin
is a popular venue with visitors for day trips that offer
guided tours of this magnificent island sanctuary.
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Seychelles |
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Praslin National Park |
 Praslin
National Park is the second largest terrestrial Park in the
Seychelles. It covers a total surface area of 324 ha of the
upper lands of Praslin and includes the World Heritage site
of the Vallée de Mai. Its altitude ranges from 80 meters
in the ravines to 367 m at the highest point of the island.
It offers a wide variety of landscapes and viewpoints. Its
fauna is rich with birds such as the Black Parrot unique to
Praslin and its surrounding islets. A network of trails lets
you explore this wonderful Park and experience its beauty.
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Seychelles |
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La Digue Veuve Reserve |
 The
island of La Digue hosts the Veuve Reserve, which is home
to the endangered Black Paradise Flycatcher. The reserve has
enjoyed considerable protection from the Ministry of Environment
& Natural Resources. In addition, because the current
reserve cannot hold a viable bird population, the Ministry
of Environment & Natural Resources has purchased extra
land for the expansion of the reserve. Currently, staff of
the Conservation Section of the Division of Nature & Conservation
is conducting a vegetation survey of the Veuve Reserve, with
the aim of preparing a complete plant list for the reserve,
and eventually using these data to construct a vegetation
map of the reserve.
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Seychelles |
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Seychelles, all islands |
 Most
of the outer islands of the Seychelles archipelago (most of
with are coral reefs) are worth visiting if one is interested
in the underwater world. Ocean creatures include the Bottle-nosed
Dolphins, Hawksbill and Green Turtles. The coral reefs are
also home to many Nurse Sharks and a good number of Spotted
Eagle Rays. Seychelles has many Marine Reserves that offer
undisturbed snorkeling and diving. Recommended reserves are
Ste. Anne, Curieuse and Ile Coco Marine National Park.
With the rich ecosystem the coral reefs supports, the various
islands also have a healthy population of land animals such
as ghost crabs and the green gecko.
The islands set aside for bird sanctuaries also hold a great
population of marine and land animals. Islands worth a visit
are Aride, Cousin and of course La Digue and Praslin.
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Seychelles |
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Aldabra Atoll |
 This raised coral atoll, comprising of about a dozen islands
is a UNESCO World Heritage site and nurtures a vast array
of both unique flora and fauna as well as the world’s
largest population of 150,000 giant tortoises. Its lagoon
boasts the most vibrant marine life of the entire archipelago.
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Seychelles |
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Vallee de Mai |
 Vallee de Mai is one of the world's smallest natural World
Heritage Sites. This quiet secluded valley forms the heart
of the Praslin National Park and is home to the famous and
magnificent coco de mer palm. The Vallee de Mai palm forest
is a remarkable living remnant of the prehistoric forests
which existed when Seychelles' granitic islands were still
part of the Gondwanaland, the huge land mass which included
what is now Africa, Madagascar and India. Millions of years
of isolation enabled a unique community of plants and animals
to develop here and some species are found nowhere else. Up
to about 1930 Vallee de Mai was more or less virgin forest,
little affected by man, unlike much of the rest of Praslin
Island. In the 1930's a new landowner decided to beautify
the valley, creating a restful retreat and botanical gardens,
hence many ornamentals and fruits trees were introduced. In
1948 Vallee de Mai was acquired by the government, as part
of the major catchment area of Praslin, and in 1966 it became
a Nature Reserve. Rehabilitation became a priority, involving
gradual removal of the exotic and invasive species, regeneration
of vegetation on the burnt ridge tops and maintenance of the
coco de mer forest. Although this method of management is
necessarily slow and subject to setbacks, the overall effect
is more natural and already Vallee de Mai begins to take on
its primeval appearance once again. A place of superlatives
is merits time spent in observation and reflection.
The paths are well made and kept clear. There are few steep
gradients or long flights of steps and they are shown on the
map which is available in the brochure provided at the visitor
centre or the Seychelles Island Foundation office in Victoria.
Signposts indicate direction at all path intersections. Markers
post at the side of the path indicate sites of interest. Each
is labeled with a letter of the alphabet, corresponding to
the lettered circle on the map and the lettered sections in
the text. Additional features are described on small information
boards along side the paths. The treasures of Vallee de Mai
are visible from the paths, so use your eyes and ears to discover
them. Seasonal variations occurred in flowering and fruiting
of some plants and the activity of certain animals. On the
Northern shelter there is a viewpoint where you can have a
bird's eye view of the area.
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Seychelles |
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La Digue |
 The island of La Digue is well known for its many granite
formations. There are various trails in and around the island
that offer you spectacular views of these enigmatic rock formations.
In addition, the beautiful beaches offer a picture perfect
image of clear blue, shallow lagoons and white sands.
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