Conservation is so often reported in terms of horror stories but it’s not all bad news. There are some good news stories too, and Nature Seychelles has quite a few to tell.
Seychelles is known for its tropical ‘paradise’ islands, because that is probably what is attracting you here. Some of you will also be aware that beyond this fringe of golden sand and palms lies a fascinating history of environmental loss and restoration. For the international environmental fraternity, 1968 will remain a major turning point for conservation in Seychelles. In that year the global environmental organisation BirdLife International, then known as ICBP, purchased Cousin Island in Seychelles. It did this to save from imminent extinction a little brown bird called the Seychelles Warbler.
For its day, this kind of conservation action was ground-breaking, and, although very risky, ultimately hugely successful. The 29-hectare Cousin Island and the Warbler recovery programme became the launch-pad for much of the colourful and event-packed evolution of conservation in the islands. Perhaps most well known has been the action to save the Seychelles Magpie-robin.
The Magpie-robin has hogged much of the recent international limelight where conservation in Seychelles is concerned. This is because the highly charismatic species has recently been taken off the global ‘Critically Endangered’ list – the international category of highest treat for a species. Just a decade ago the Magpie-robin was on the brink of extinction, confined to Fregate Island, with a total population barely in double figures. Today, there are over 150 adult birds, on four islands, including Cousin. Although this is a real success story, with global impact, the species still needs our constant attention and there are plans afoot to move birds to newly restored islands.
