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Reptile rescue
Shortly after the Wakashio oil spill, oil was detected on the South East Islets of Ile de la Passe, Ilot Vacoas, Ile au Phare (aux Fouquets), and Ile Marianne, the reptile team rushed to the rescue and collected 30 Bojer’s Skinks, 6 Bouton’s Skinks and 30 Lesser Night Geckos. Populations of these isolated and genetically distinct endemic skinks and geckos survive on the South East islets and a small cohort of these reptiles have been kept in a temporary biosecure facility on mainland Mauritius, whilst they awaited transfer to a more secure and fit for purpose facility at Jersey Zoo (British Channel Islands).
The Mauritius Reptile Recovery Programme, initiated in 2006, by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF), the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (Durrell) and the National Parks and Conservation Service, has been working to rebuild the reptile populations on the South East Islets, involving translocations between the small islets to increase their chances of survival. The South East Islets are important habitats for two of the species, which have gone extinct on mainland Mauritius and are highly threatened. MWF specialists fear that the hydrocarbons will adversely affect these populations, putting 14 years of conservation work at stake.
‘Past studies have shown that reptile communities can be affected long term by oil spills, by impacting on their health, reproduction, habitat and food’, said Dr Nik Cole, Island Restoration Manager for MWF and Durrell. ‘These reptiles have now been sent to the Durrell’s Jersey Zoo, on loan from the Government of Mauritius to maintain captive populations in safety, until the full impact of the spill is properly understood.’ he added.
All the 66 reptiles safely reached their new home. They are being given a lifeline at the Jersey Zoo headquarters, receiving expert treatment and care from leading herpetologists and this safety net population will form a breeding programme from which the animals, their offspring or future generations can eventually be released back onto the wild on the South East islets, once it is safe to do so.
This reptile transfer was made possible thanks to the support from National Parks and Conservation Service of Mauritius, Forestry Service, Airline Ambassadors Association, Durrell, BirdLife International and Crisis Diaspora Appeal by ‘Ansam nou pli for’.
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