Mauritius is recognized globally as a center of plant diversity and forms part of the Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands biodiversity hotspot. This small island nation exhibits an exceptionally high rate of endemism, with over a third of its plant species and a vast majority of its non-marine birds found nowhere else on Earth. The island’s unique biological heritage has been severely impacted by historical human activities, notably extensive deforestation that reduced native forest cover to a mere fraction of its original extent. Early colonization and subsequent land clearing for agriculture and development led to the extinction of many species, symbolized tragically by the Dodo. Ongoing threats from habitat loss and introduced species make conservation an urgent national priority, prompting a sophisticated, multi-layered approach to protect its distinct flora and fauna.
National Conservation Legislation and Strategy
The foundation for Mauritius’s conservation efforts rests on a comprehensive legal and strategic framework. The overarching strategy is the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2017–2025, which translates obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) into national goals. This plan sets out a detailed roadmap for species recovery, habitat restoration, and integrating biodiversity concerns across various economic sectors.
The primary legal instrument governing terrestrial conservation is the Native Terrestrial Biodiversity and National Parks Act 2015. This legislation provides a robust mandate for the protection and management of native flora and fauna. It formally establishes the National Parks and Conservation Service (NPCS) as the main management authority for national parks and reserves.
The 2015 Act also created an Invasive Alien Species Committee, recognizing the profound threat non-native organisms pose to the island’s fragile ecosystems. The strategic planning process is further decentralized into specialized groups, such as the Terrestrial Biodiversity Working Group and the Freshwater, Coastal and Marine Working Group, ensuring coordinated implementation of the NBSAP goals.
Terrestrial Species Recovery Programs
Mauritius has achieved international recognition for its direct, hands-on recovery programs that have saved several endemic species from the brink of extinction. These efforts typically combine intensive intervention with long-term habitat management, often using captive breeding and release programs to bolster extremely small wild populations. The Mauritian Kestrel, for example, was once the rarest bird of prey globally, with only four known individuals remaining in 1974 due to habitat loss and the use of the pesticide DDT.
Intensive captive breeding and reintroduction techniques, coupled with the provision of artificial nest boxes, have successfully increased the kestrel population to over 300 individuals. Similar, highly managed programs have been instrumental in the recovery of the Pink Pigeon and the Echo Parakeet, the island’s last endemic parrot. The Echo Parakeet population, which plummeted to about 20 birds in the mid-1970s, has now rebounded to over 800 individuals through a program involving the rescue of eggs and chicks, supplementary feeding, and meticulous pest control.
A crucial element of this terrestrial recovery strategy is the restoration of small, predator-free offshore islands, known as islets. These islets serve as safe havens for reintroducing endemic reptiles and plants that were wiped out on the main island. Offshore sanctuaries like Île aux Aigrettes and Round Island have been cleared of invasive species and replanted with native flora, creating secure environments for species like the Telfair’s Skink and the ornate day gecko to establish self-sustaining populations.
Mitigating Invasive Alien Species
The presence of invasive alien species (IAS) is the greatest threat to Mauritius’s biodiversity, as they outcompete native plants and prey upon endemic fauna. Systematic control of these invaders is integral to conservation work, particularly within protected areas like the Black River Gorges National Park. Invasive alien plants, such as the aggressive Chinese Guava, create dense monocultures that prevent the regeneration of native forest species by blocking light and monopolizing nutrients.
Management efforts against invasive plants involve labor-intensive manual weeding and targeted chemical control in high-priority forest fragments like Brise Fer. This removal is followed by replanting native trees to restore the natural forest structure.
Control of invasive animals is equally intensive, targeting introduced predators that decimate native bird and reptile populations. Feral animals like rats, cats, and the crab-eating macaque are subject to ongoing control programs through trapping and physical removal. Eradication campaigns for rats and feral cats on offshore islets have been highly successful, establishing the predator-free zones necessary for endemic species reintroduction. Furthermore, large herbivores like deer and pigs are managed within the national park to prevent them from grazing on vulnerable native seedlings.
Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Protection
Protection efforts extend beyond the terrestrial landscape to encompass the distinct marine and coastal ecosystems that surround the island. The government has established a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and fishing reserves to safeguard critical habitats such as coral reefs and lagoons. Blue Bay Marine Park and the South East Marine Protected Area are two examples where human activities are regulated to reduce pressure on marine life.
Coral reef restoration is a major focus, primarily through the use of coral farming techniques to actively repair degraded reef systems. Projects involve collecting thermally tolerant coral fragments and growing them in underwater nurseries before transplanting them onto damaged reef sites, such as the large-scale effort underway at Pointe-aux-Feuilles. This microfragmentation technique aims to accelerate the natural recovery of reefs stressed by bleaching events and coastal pollution.
Coastal management strategies also address threats arising from unsustainable practices and climate change impacts. Regulations prohibit environmentally damaging activities like sand mining, coral removal, and the use of jet skis in sensitive zones to maintain the integrity of the coastal barrier. Furthermore, the government has implemented measures to manage fishing pressure, including seasonal closures for octopus fishing and the promotion of Fish Aggregating Devices, which allows fishers to operate sustainably outside of the protected lagoon areas.