Volunteer Field Assistant - Mauritius Reptile Recovery
Programme
Project background
The Mauritius
Reptile Recovery Programme is run jointly by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation
(MWF), Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the National Parks and
Conservation Service. The programme was started in 2006, but is built upon
three decades of island restoration work by the project partners.
Mauritius was once
home to one of the world’s richest reptile diversities, which was integral to
the pristine ecosystem. Following the island’s colonisation in the 16th Century
numerous non-native species have been introduced and most of the natural Mauritian
forests have been destroyed. These disturbances caused the loss of more than
60% of Mauritian reptile species from the main island. Several species went
extinct, but some managed to remain on one or a few of the offshore islands. To
enhance their survival and restore missing ecological processes we have been
restoring endemic reptile species back to islands that have been made safe for
their return. Using a mixture of translocations, captive breeding and intensive
monitoring we have reduced the risks of extinction for a number of reptile
species. For example, the Telfair’s skink and Günther’s gecko, have been
translocated to the island Nature Reserve Ile aux Aigrettes, but are currently
threatened from recent invasions of non-native species.
Ile aux Aigrettes is
a small lagoon island (26ha) where conservation activities have been ongoing
since the 1980s to restore the endangered fauna and flora of Mauritius. The
island has a field station, which is permanently occupied by approximately ten
staff and volunteers. The MWF also operate ecotourism and educational
activities on the island.
Learn more HERE
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