Why we are dedicated to conservation? 

Mauritius occurs in one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots making conservation of its biota of worldwide importance. Anthropogenic habitat destruction removed over 95 % of the island’s original native terrestrial vegetation since human colonization in 1638 and the remaining 4.4 % are typically highly invaded by alien plants and animals. Yet even in protected parks and nature reserves, habitats continue to degrade under the impact of invasive alien species. Without quick and proper action, many native plants, mammals, reptiles, snails and invertebrates will go extinct. With a past record of high extinction rates, we aim to stop our remaining native species from disappearing. Our main objective is to create more native reforested areas to act as corridors for fruit bats and provide suitable habitat for other species of plants and animals. We aim to propagate fast growing endemic fruiting trees to attract fruit bats to these forested areas and thus deter bats’ visits to orchards. The control of invasive alien plants and animals in native forests as a restoration measure thus improves the availability of fruits which flying foxes are able to locate and feed on. Our native forests also contribute to the regulation of hydrological cycles and carbon stocks and are essential to limit impacts of climate change.