The intense tropical cyclone Batsirai that recently hit Mauritius has finally left the island. The cyclone strengthened into a Category 4 (hurricane-equivalent category) with a strength of approx.130 kilometres (80 miles), bringing with it heavy rainfall, intense winds of around 120 kilometres per hour and massive waves breaking on the coast. As always, once over, local people had to count damages that affected not only human population but animals as well.

All kind of animals, specially those such as stray dogs struggled to find shelter and food for days. Once the worst was over, our young and active volunteers of OIPA Mauritius decided to go on site to help dogs. They organized an event on “Flic en Flac” beach to bring water, dry food and spend time with them. During this day, volunteers also tried to raise awareness on the importance of helping animals by providing them water to prevent their dehydration on hot days.

Unfortunately, the cyclone also destroyed and damaged the nest of many birds, including those of a very beautiful and particular species, the yellow bird characteristic of the island. These birds usually live on the coast and it is very rare to see them in town, but this time because they were looking for food our volunteers had the honour to meet them on the Mauritian Village Weavers.

❤️ You can now start support our OIPA delegation in Mauritius to improve the life of many animals on the island ❤️

L'articolo OIPA MAURITIUS’S VOLUNTEERS LEND A HAND TO ANIMALS AFTER THE CYCLONE HIT THE ISLAND proviene da OIPA.

The Country is recognised by the IUCN as a “Centre of Plant Diversity” and its exceptional endemism is the result of the island’s location, age, isolation, volcanic origins and varied landscape.

Mauritius displays an incredible variety of endemic species: 39% of plants, 80% of non-marine birds, 80% of reptiles and 40% of bat species. Its forests include 691 species of indigenous flowering plants, 52 native species of vertebrates and 30 species of land birds. Another major ecosystem for Mauritius is the marine environment, comprising 16,840 km2 of territorial sea and 1,700 species, including 786 species of fish, 17 species of marine mammals, 2 species of marine turtles and 5 types of reefs.

Sadly, this unique paradise of biodiversity is threatened and at risk mainly because it is negatively affected by harmful human activities.

Recently, on 6 August a Japanese cargo ship ran aground on a coral reef on the southeast coast of Mauritius and unleashed a vast oil spill. The vessel held 200 tons of diesel and 3,900 tons of fuel oil and an estimated 1,000-ton leaked into the sea.

The oil spill has left a 15 km stretch of the coastline smeared and led to the death of many marine creatures, including 50 dolphins, as it laid for a month without any actions taken by the Mauritanian government. Also Île aux Aigrettes, a small island near the wreck, a proper natural sanctuary for the endemic animals such as pink pigeons and Telfair’s skinks have been affected.

The focus of OIPA Mauritius is to save and protect this incredible and precious biodiversity and raise public awareness on the vital importance that marine ecosystem has on the global environment and human beings.

If you want to help OIPA Mauritius to protect the marine ecosystem, creating programs of conservation and restoration, you can make a donation specifying “OIPA Mauritius”.

L'articolo OIPA MAURITIUS, NEW DELEGATION TO PROTECT MARINE ECOSYSTEM AND BIODIVERSITY proviene da OIPA.