See what’s happening on the sites we manage, the projects we run, and in other environmental activities locally
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10 Apr: 50,000 corals grown in ocean nurseries – a giant leap for Seychelles
Nature Seychelles is excited to share a huge milestone in its coral reef restoration in the Cousin Island Special Reserve. Between April 2021 and April 2025, the NGO’s Reef Rescuers team, with the help of volunteer scientific divers from around the world, has grown 50,000 coral fragments in underwater nurseries at Cousin Island. This has been achieved under the Coral Reef Restoration Project, funded by the Adaptation Fund through the UNDP and the Seychelles Government. This is a regional collaboration between Seychelles and Mauritius to restore coral reefs using both ocean and land-based nurseries. “Nature Seychelles has now met the…
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07 Apr: Seychelles plans to increase capacity of Providence landfill, and construct a new one
The Landscape and Waste Management Agency is in the process of drafting a plan with the help of the World Bank to increase the capacity of the Providence landfill, including the construction of a new one in the surrounding area which will provide enough space for dumping of solid waste until 2042. The announcement was made by Estelle Lau Tee, senior waste management officer at Landscape and Waste Management Agency (LWMA), who was speaking to the media recently on the agency’s solid waste management project being financed by the bank through a soft loan of US $5 million. The project…
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07 Apr: Coco de mer’s hanging leaves game-changer in forest ecology and conservation strategies
A pioneering study has revealed that the coco de mer palm (Lodoicea maldivica) retains its dead leaves for up to three years before shedding them. This phenomenon, known as marcescence, occurs when dead plants parts, such as leaves, remain attached to the plant for an extended period instead of falling off immediately. Marcescence has significant implications on the forest’s ecology, nutrient cycles, and fire risk. The research found that nearly half of the dead leaf material in the coco de mer palm forests of the Vallee de Mai remains suspended in the trees, unlike in other tropical forests where leaves…
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04 Apr: Meet the oceanic residents of Cousin Island
Cousin Island is a protected area designated as a “Special Reserve.” Its protection extends to the ocean area 400 meters off the shore, where a vibrant marine community thrives. Whether you’re snorkelling, free diving, or scuba diving, you are likely to encounter some fascinating marine life. Even a quick dip in the lagoon with an underwater camera reveals marvellous sea life. One of the favourite things to do among the Reserve’s turtle team carrying out Hawksbill turtle monitoring is to follow hatchlings as they race to the ocean and film them as they make their maiden journey home. Without fail,…
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28 Mar: What does it really take to save a species from extinction?
Laurence Rose, a species recovery volunteer with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is trying to answer this question. His focus is on the endemic species of birds that were pulled back from the brink with the support of the RSPB. Laurence is a writer who has published three books on nature and conservation. For the past three years, he has been documenting the fascinating history of these conservation efforts for the RSPB, recognising that a lot of valuable knowledge slips away as key figures retire or sadly pass on without sharing their insights. “A lot of…
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21 Mar: SIF hosts validation workshop on first Coco de Mer species action plan
The Seychelles Islands Foundation yesterday hosted a validation workshop to formulate the first coco de mer species action plan aimed at conserving the endemic species. The coco de mer is categorised as ‘Endangered’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, (IUCN Red List). Speaking at the event at the National House building, Victoria, the head of Science and Conservation at the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF), Dr Annabelle Constance, said despite many conservation programmes over the years, this was the first time the foundation was actually formulating an action plan. According to Dr Contance, it…
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20 Mar: Why forests are life for us and wildlife
We often take forests for granted and rarely give them a second thought. They are just a collection of trees, and are here for us to use, right? But we have a lot to thank forests for. Here are compelling reasons why forests are the ultimate life-support system—not just for us, but for all the creatures that call them home. Nature’s supermarket Forests are a treasure trove of various edible plants that nourish both people and animals. They provide fruits, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, leaves, tubers, and roots. Many communities rely on these forest products for their daily nutrition and survival….
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14 Mar: Fast and Fused: Coral restoration practitioners discover micro-fragmentation
Nature Seychelles’ CORAL and ARC facilities on Praslin Island were a bee-hive of activity this week as enthusiastic coral practitioners jumped into the exciting world of micro-fragmentation. “It’s been a long time coming and we are thrilled to share it with our colleagues in Seychelles, Mauritius, and Rodrigues working to save our reefs,” says Dr Luca Saponari from Nature Seychelles’ Reef Rescuers team. He and 14 others learned and trialed the coral-cutting technique in an intensive 5-day masterclass led by Dr David Vaughan, CEO of Plant a Million Corals and the innovator behind micro-fragmentation. The training was organized by the…