Mauritius


Black River Gorges National Park, Mauritius

Black River Gorges National Park is a spectacular park that contains some very unique and endemic (only found here) animals and plants such as the rare dodo tree and tambalacoque. If you are lucky you might even spot some native wildlife like the Mauritian flying fox or some of the endemic bird species including:

The park covers an area of 67.54 km² including humid upland forest, drier lowland forest and marshy heathland. Facilities for visitors include two information centres, picnic areas and 60 kilometres of trails. There are four field stations in the park which are used for research. There are some excellent hiking trails in the park.

If you are interested in birds you might be keen to learn more about the species mentioned above. Imagine seeing them all in the wild? It is truly possbile on your visit to Mauritius.

Mauritius Kestrel
Mauritius Kestrel

Mauritius Kestrel

See this marvelous endangered raptor (Falco punctatus), which like so many other Mauritius birds, has been saved from the brink of extinction thanks to dedicated conservationists. At one point there were only a few pairs remaining in the wild (2 pairs in 1974) but emergency measures were taken to ensure a recovery. There are now about 800 birds in the wild.

Males and females look the same, unlike some other Kestrel species.

You may get lucky and see some in the southwestern plateau’s forests, cliffs, and ravines.

Pink Pigeon of Mauritius

The pink pigeon is a very rare bird that is native to Mauritius. Its scienfitic name is Nesoenas mayeri (of use to all the birders out there looking to make another cross on your bird list!). Back in 1991 this beautiful bird was close to extinction with only 10 individuals left, but thanks to the captive breeding efforts of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust numbers have somewhat recovered and there are now around 350 living in the wild. They are still however considered an endangered species.

Mauritius pink pigeon
Pink pigeon

Where to see the Pink Pigeon: Found only on Mauritius, you’ll need to head to the southwest region in the National Park area. They can also be seen on the nature reserve Ile aux Aigrettes (southeast coast)

They are quite a long-lived bird, with males living up to 18 years (5 years on average longer than females, which has resulted in an imbalance in sexes throughout the population).

Mauritius Parakeet (Echo Parakeet)

Psittacula eques, commonly known as the Echo Parakeet, is a highly endangered parrot (and the world’s rarest parakeet) found only on Mauritius.

Echo Parakeet of Mauritius
Mauritius Parakeet

Called ‘katover’ locally, this bird was nearly extinct in the early 1980’s. There were only 10 birds remaining. After a remarkable conservation effort spanning decades, numbers are now up to around 280-300 individuals in the wild. Of course, this still results in the bird being highly endangered, but things are certainly looking up and you may get lucky enough to see one (or more!).

Like many other endangered birds of Mauritius, your best chance of seeing the Echo Parakeet is in the remaining forest in the south-west of the island.

Mauritius Mammals to Spot on your Vacation

In addition to birds you will also find some interesting and unique mammals.

Mauritian Flying Fox

See the Amazing Tambalacoque (Dodo Tree) in Mauritius
The Tambalacoque (also known as the Dodo Tree) is native to Mauritius. A unique feature of this tree is the lack of growth rings so it is virtually impossible to estimate an age of any standing tree.

It is called the Dodo Tree because some scientists belive that the extinct Dodo bird used to eat tambalacoque fruits from the tree.
You can read an interesting local perspective of the Dodo Tree on this page

It is believed there are now a few hundred of these spectacular trees left in existence in Mauritius but they are under threat as they are valued for their timber.

When you are in Mauritius make sure you take some time to locate and enjoy these rare, unique and iconic trees.