| :: Indian Ocean Island Holidays
Seychelles Background
Environment
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Seychelles is an isolated archipelago
of outstanding natural beauty comprising
115 islands. 35 islands of the "Inner
Islands Group" are granitic,
rocky and hilly with narrow coastal
strips. The other islands are coralline
and flat with elevated reefs.
The islands lie in the western part
of the Indian Ocean, north of Madagascar
and 1,593km (995 miles) east of Mombasa,
Kenya. It is between 4 and 5 degrees
south of the equator at a longitude
between 55 and 56 degrees east.
The granite islands support luxuriant
tropical forest on the mountain slopes.
The coral islands are also densely
covered with vegetation more characteristic
of sandy coral soils. Generally, the
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most common trees are the coconut palm and
casuarina. Others include banyans, screw pines
and tortoise trees. The giant "coco de
mer" palm, is indigenous to the Seychelles
and lives for up to 1,000 years. The jellyfish
tree, having only eight surviving examples
left is another rarity only found in the Seychelles.
Of about 200 plant species, 80 are indigenous,
including the "bois rouge", the
giant "bois de fer" and the "capucin."
Fruit bats, flying foxes, geckos and skinks
are common and there are more than 3,000
species of insect. The giant tortoise (which
appears on the Seychelles coat of arms)
survived near-extinction; there are now
over a hundred thousand on Aldabra Island.
There are many species of rare bird, such
as the bare-legged scops owl, Seychelles
kestrel, black parrot, magpie, robin and
paradise flycatcher.
 With almost 50% of its limited landmass
set aside as national parks and reserves,
Seychelles prides itself on its record for
far sighted conservation policies that have
resulted in an enviable degree of protection
for the environment and the varied ecosystems
it supports. Four islands of the archipelago
are bird sanctuaries, including Bird Island,
which is inhabited by millions of fairy
terns.
Seychelles is also home to two U.N.E.S.C.O
World Heritage Sites: Aldabra, the world’s
largest raised coral atoll and Praslin's
Vallée de Mai, once believed to be
the original site of the Garden of Eden.
The Ministry of Environment & Natural
Resources has been mandated with the important
task of protecting all species in all their
states, whether they are threatened, vulnerable
or on the brink of extinction. Current projects
are underway to conserve and protect some
of the rarest species found on the island.
These include the Seychelles Black Parrot,
Scops Owl, Sheath-Tailed Bat and the Hawksbill
turtle.
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