Endangered Species

The best known representative of Mauritius birdlife was the dodo - a large, plump, flightless dove which found its docility rewarded with extinction in the late 17th century. Although the dodo has since become a stereotype for extinction, few people realise that Mauritius still posesses several incredibly rare bird species in minute numbers which are as doomed as the dodo if the present efforts at conservation cannot be sustained.

Kinds of Birds

The pink pigeon was once found all over Mauritius but now its habitat is restricted to the wet upland forests of the southwest. Feral cats, monkeys and rats brought about the demise of this tame and

Bird Watching

In late 1950's species such as Mauritius kestrel, Pink pigeon and Echo parakeet were in immediate danger of extinction, and although numbers have grown they have not yet won the war of survival. In

Birdlife

Mauritius has several endemic species of birds - birds which are found nowhere else in the world. Many ornithologists or keen birders wishing to add unique species to their lists will find the long

Echo Parakeets

The Echo Parakeet is the world's rarest parakeet. Since 1985, MWAF has been running a project to help wild parakeet's boost their numbers through captive breeding. In the early 1990s there were only

A brief history of the dodo

The Dodo and other birds The Dodo were huge birds of unknown species that existed only on the island of Mauritius which had no human habitation prior to 1598. Due to its short wings and bulky body

Flora and Fauna

Since the island's colonization in the 17th century, its thick forest cover has been destroyed by felling and intensive grazing. The secondary growth with which this has been replaced consists mostly

Black River Gorges National Park (BRGNP)

Most people head for the reserve Forestiere Macchabee Forest Reserve, or Black River Gorges National Park (BRGNP). This mountainous area provides the bulk of the wild walks on the island. The