Mauritius in all its Beauty

Can you believe it? Mauritius is only 65km long!!! And this small island has the most awesome beaches, lagoons and reefs. It is also very mountainous with its many river gorges, waterfalls and rain forests, hiking trails and wildlife.  My ultimate adventure is hiking The Black River Gorge which is only a 10-minute drive from Belle Crique Private Resort {or hail a taxi or local bus service as there is a bust stop outside the front gate}. As you enter the Gorge you can feel the cool air from the rain forest and the running river close by.  Clean fresh air.  So good for the soul.

At the info counter, I trace all the hiking trails and choose one that suits my fitness. My aim is to see the most beautiful unique, rare & threatened animals and plants on the planet, where Mauritius is home to them. Dedicated individuals and organisations have been working tirelessly to save these precious jewels.

Pink Pigeon | Nesoenas mayeri : Endangered-Individual facing very high risk of extinction in the wild.

Mauritius Kestrel | Falco punctatus: Endangered-Individual facing very high risk of extinction in the wild

These efforts have been boosted by a project funded by the Global Environment Facility through the United Nations Development Programme. This project is expanding Mauritius’s protected areas through a series of ‘Protected Endemic Sanctuaries’ (PES) - homes to plants and animals found nowhere else on earth. There is an amazing article “RAYS OF HOPE” http://npcs.govmu.org/English/Pages/default.aspx  and under documents/forms is the Rays of Hope document. It tells us the history of Mauritius, origins of animals and plants, extinction of the Dodo and which plants and animals are near extinction today.

Mauritius Fruit Bat | Pteropus niger: Vulnerable-Individual facing high risk extinction in the wild

Mauritius Ghecko | Phelsuma spp