News and Blogs

  1. Latest News
  2. Cousin Island News
  3. Blue Economy Seychelles
  4. Green Health Blog
  • Research: Roaming seabirds need ocean-wide protection, research shows

    Unlike other oceans, which are known to have specific “hotspots” where predators, including seabirds, gather in large numbers to feed, the Indian Ocean lacks such concentrated feeding areas, a recent paper has revealed. This lack of hotspots is particularly concerning given the various threats seabirds face due to human activities.[…]

    Read more...
  • Saya de Malha leaves for its third dFAD clean-up expedition

    (Seychelles Nation) The Saya de Malha vessel of the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) left Port Victoria yesterday afternoon for its third drifting Fishing Aggregate Devices (dFAD) expedition clean-up exercise in Seychelles territorial waters and shores of the outer islands. As customary since the first expedition in October 2022, students from Seychelles[…]

    Read more...
next
prev

Coming Soon!

Coral Aquaculture Facility!

coral aquaculture web banner

We have started work on the Assisted Recovery of Corals (ARC) facility to revolutionise our coral reef restoration process Learn more

Find Us On ...

Implementing the SDGs

At Nature Seychelles we are committed to working with government, development partners and donors in implementing relevant actions, in particular, looking at certain goals where we can build on our existing strengths. Read more

Seychelles Wildlife

Natural environment of the Seychelles

Seychelles is a unique environment, which sustains a very special biodiversity. It is special for a number of different reasons. These are the oldest oceanic islands to be found anywhere...

Bird Watching

Seychelles is a paradise for birdwatchers, you can easily see the unique land birds, the important sea bird colonies, and the host of migrants and vagrants. Some sea bird...

Seychelles Black Parrot

Black Parrot or Kato Nwar in Creolee is brown-grey in colour, not truly black. Many bird experts treat it as a local form of a species found in Madagascar and...

Fairy Tern

The Fairy (or white) Tern is a beautiful bird seen on all islands in Seychelles, even islands like Mahe where they are killed by introduced rats, cats and Barn Owls....

Introduced Land Birds

A little over two hundred years ago, there were no humans living permanently in Seychelles. When settlement occurred, people naturally brought with them the animals and plants they needed to...

Native Birds

Although over 190 different species of bird have been seen on or around the central islands of Seychelles (and the number is increasing all the time), many of these are...

Migrant Shore Birds

Shallow seas and estuaries are very rich in invertebrate life. Many birds feed on the worms, crabs and shellfish in these habitats; often, they have long bills for probing sand...

Seychelles Magpie Robin

The most endangered of the endemic birds, Seychelles Magpie Robin or Pi Santez in Creole, came close to extinction in the late twentieth century; in 1970 there were only about...

Seychelles Blue Pigeon

The Seychelles Blue Pigeon or Pizon Olande in Creole, spends much of its life in the canopy of trees and eats the fruits of figs, bwa dir, ylang ylang and...

Seychelles White-eye

The Seychelles White-eye or Zwazo Linet in Creole, is rare and endemic. They may sometimes be seen in gardens and forest over 300m at La Misere, Cascade and a few...

Seychelles Black Paradise Flycatcher

The Seychelles Black Paradise Flycatcher or the Vev in Creole is endemic to Seychelles, you cannot find this bird anywhere else on earth. Although it was once widespread on...

Seychelles Sunbird

The tiny sunbird or Kolibri in Creole, is one of the few endemic species that has thrived since humans arrived in the Seychelles.

«
»

Achievements

  • Stopped near extinctions of birds +

    Down-listing of the critically endangered Seychelles warbler from Critically Endangered to Near Threatened. Other Seychelles birds have also been saved including the Seychelles Magpie Robin, Seychelles Fody, and the Seychelles
  • Restored whole island ecosystems +

    We transformed Cousin Island from a coconut plantation to a thriving vibrant and diverse island ecosystem. Success achieved on Cousin was replicated on other islands with similar conservation activities.
  • Championed climate change solutions +

    Nature Seychelles has risen to the climate change challenge in our region in creative ways to adapt to the inevitable changing of times.
  • Education and Awareness +

    We have been at the forefront of environmental education, particularly with schools and Wildlife clubs
  • Sustainable Tourism +

    We manage the award-winning eco-tourism programme on Cousin Island started in 1970
  • 1
  • 2

Protected Area Management

 

We manage Cousin Island Special Reserve a marine protected area (MPA) that includes a 400m exclusion zone from the shore. Previously a coconut plantation, Cousin Island was purchased by the International Council for Bird Protection (now BirdLife) in 1968, for the immediate purpose of saving the endemic Seychelles Warbler. To save the warbler, a habitat restoration programme was implemented. The transformation of the island from an ecologically impoverished coconut plantation into a thriving indigenous forest also benefitted other species including the Seychelles Magpie Robin.

Since 1998, Cousin is successfully run and protected by a Seychellois team. It is a huge conservation success today and is home to a varied flora and fauna that includes seven species of nesting seabirds, in numbers exceeding 300,000 individuals. Five of Seychelles' eleven endemic land birds - Seychelles magpie robin, Seychelles sunbird, Seychelles fody, Seychelles blue pigeon, and the Seychelles warbler - are found on Cousin. The island is recognized as one of the most important breeding sites in the Western Indian Ocean for Hawksbill turtles, and the monitoring programme for this species was put in place in 1972. Since then an eight-fold increase in nesting turtles has been recorded. It is today one of the few islands free of introduced predators like cats and rats due to a strict invasives control programme.

Research has shown that the Reserve’s reefs are well protected resulting in a diverse and abundant marine fauna, especially of fish targeted by fishers. The management maintains a unique relationship with the local community that forestalls poaching and has led to an increased understanding of the role of MPAs in local fisheries. A project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) looked at the role of the Cousin MPA in fish protection.

Cousin is designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International and is a  Demonstration Site for the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN). It is classified as a Wetland under Ramsar criteria.

The management of Cousin involves local people in protected area planning and also in sustainable use activities including eco-tourism activities that finance the running of the island and implementation of other projects. The initiation of eco-tourism in 1972 has grown to become an exciting program run under internationally accepted principles. It has won numerous awards and accolades including the Conde Nast Ecotourism Award, and the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow.  In 2005, a management effectiveness study by UNEP and IUCN found the Reserve to be well managed and effective. In 2006, the IUCN Turtle Specialist Group highlighted the success of Cousin’s turtle conservation program which started in 1972.

See more on the Cousin Island Special Reserve website.

 

The Heritage Garden at Roche Caiman

 

The Heritage Garden Project® is an award-winning project started by Nature Seychelles in collaboration with the Wildlife Clubs of Seychelles, the Department of Natural Resources and Ministry of Education to introduce young people to traditional food and medicinal plants (Shah, 2011). Heritage Gardens were established in 12 schools by the Wildlife Clubs. The aims are, among others, to promote awareness, interest and knowledge on the nurturing and propagation of traditional plants, thereby passing on a rich biological and cultural heritage and to connect several generations of Seychellois to become custodians of biodiversity.

The project has also inspired other organizations to establish such gardens, as well as a similar project by a farmers association in 2012.

The Heritage Garden at Roche Caiman™ is the demonstration site for the project and is now part of Nature Seychelles wider Green Health programme, which promotes sustainable living, including organic gardening and Edible Landscaping. 

It is a place to inspire. The garden has hosted various organizations, businesses, government, foreign delegations, and people from all segments of society. Our staff guide students and visitors to explore the plants. They also help students and visitors engage in hands-on activities as they walk through the garden and discover different plants.

See more:

2nd Edition of Grow and Eat your own Food receives funding

UNISEY students check out Nature Seychelles

Minister lauds Nature Seychelles Heritage Garden

Traditional medicine practitioners visit the Heritage Garden

Biodiversity Day 2012: Nature Seychelles promotes Bio Happiness

Greening livelihoods project launched, agreement with partners signed

World Environment Day - Nature Seychelles celebrates achievements and reflects on new directions

Promoting sustainable living

Support is Needed for Propagating Heritage Gardens

Native medicine...the desire of ages

The Sanctuary at Roche Caiman wetland

Created on the site of reclaimed land, the Sanctuary at Roche Caiman is a restored wetland habitat. It is one of the few places in Victoria where people can enjoy the restorative qualities of nature. We have developed the area as a park for people and in 2012 the Sanctuary became the first park in Africa to join the Healthy Parks Healthy People network. This is an international network which works to recognise the contribution of nature to our wellbeing. In 2011 the Sanctuary was awarded the World Leisure International Innovation Prize.

As well as offering a natural retreat, the following activities are also available at the Sanctuary:

Green health programme – our successful green health programme is based at the Sanctuary. This involves a weekly programme of yoga led by our trained yoga professional. There is also our green exercise area, with equipment for self-led fitness and stamina building.

Mangroves for mankind – discover more about mangrove at our restored mangrove wetland. Mangroves are essential coastal habitats for building natural resistance to climate change. Our demonstration site explains how mangrove works and how restoring this essential habitat can be done.

Nature Trail - weaving through the Sanctuary is a short easy to follow nature trail that leads to a bird hide overlooking a large wetland pool. Along the way there is opportunity to see a range of wildlife which inhabits the site.

See more:

Nature Seychelles Shares Mangroves Rehabilitation Knowledge And Experience At Workshop

New Life To The Sanctuary At Roche Caiman

Nature Seychelles Hosts Successful Mangroves Open Day

EU supports Nature Seychelles' Greening Livelihoods Project

Nature Seychelles receives support to rehabilitate mangroves

International Innovation Prize for Seychelles

It’s not the sexy part of conservation but someone has to do it!

Francophonie Director General visits Nature Seychelles

Australian High Commissioner delighted by Gardens for Growth Project

Green exercise is good for you

New US Ambassador to Seychelles visits Nature Seychelles

Children reap green exercise benefits

US Navy personnel give back to conservation projects

Scouts and friends get some Nature Therapy

Nature Seychelles in Celebrity TV Show

From saving nature to saving people

The wellbeing properties of nature have been known for centuries. At Nature Seychelles we are putting these restorative qualities to good use through our Nature Therapy programme. We work with local referral agencies in the drug rehabilitation and mental health services. We offer a structured programme of activities, such as gardening, conservation, green exercise and yoga. This provides vulnerable and dependent groups with appropriate mental, physical and practical skills to improve their livelihood options and to facilitate participation in mainstream society.

The programme helps increase self-esteem and confidence, encourages personal development and teaches respect for the environment. It teaches and develops social skills and previous participants have reported improved sleep, increased ability to concentrate and improvements in behaviour of young people.

To find out how your company, organisation or society might benefit from our Nature Therapy programme call 4601100.

Programme News

EU supports Nature Seychelles' Greening Livelihoods Project

Greening livelihoods project launched, agreement with partners signed

Phoenix flies in as Nature Seychelles nature therapy programme takes off

Zwazo magazine goes in search of the Green Economy

Scouts and friends get some Nature Therapy

Children reap green exercise benefits

Green exercise is good for you

Australian High Commissioner delighted by Gardens for Growth Project

Partners & Awards

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

Our History

Since 1998.

Seychelles Nature, Green HealthClimate Change, Biodiversity Conservation & Sustainability Organisation

@CousinIsland Manager

Facebook: http://goo.gl/Q9lXM

Roche Caiman, Mahe

Donate

We accept donations. Your support and generosity help us continue with our work in nature conservation in Seychelles. Email nature@seychelles.netdonate

Contact Us

Centre for Environment & Education

Roche Caiman,

P.O. Box 1310, Mahe, Seychelles

Tel:+ 248 2519090

Email: nature@seychelles.net