INFORMATION ABOUT Guenther's gecko (Phelsuma guentheri)

Unique to Mauritius and one of the largest geckos in the world with an average of 25cm length. The Gunther's gecko was only left on Round Island but has recently been translocated to Ile aux Aigrettes.

Main Threats: Exotic predators, habitat loss.

This very rare and special gecko was translocated from Round Island to Ile aux Aigrettes in April 2010 after more than 30 years of research and islet restoration. This gecko was only found on Round Island and through this translocation an additional sub-population has been created to increase the safeguard of the Guenter's Gecko. This gecko is also a very active plant pollinator and disperser and thus an important element in the islet ecosystem.

HOW YOUR ACTIONS CAN HELP THIS SPECIES SURVIVE

• Volunteering / give your time.

• Be aware and inform others around you.

• Donate funds.

• Do not bring in foreign animal & plan species when travelling.

The main threats to the reptiles are the unwanted side effects of recreational activities!

Together we can act to save them from extinction by following three simple steps.

When visiting the islets:

1. Take all your rubbish back home! As lizards can get trapped in it and die.

2. Use only mobile barbecue sets! As open fire on the ground heats up the rocks in which they live and fries their eggs. For the same reason please take your oil and coals back home.

3. Check your boat. Make sure you don't take any living things to the islets (including rats, house geckos, snakes, cats or dogs) The introduction of invasive species is extremely damaging to the lizards as they feed on them. A single rat can wipe out the entire population of lizards of an islet in less than 2 months.

THE ORGANISATION

THE MAURITIAN WILDLIFE FOUNDATION IS THE ONLY NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION (NGO) IN MAURITIUS TO BE EXCLUSIVELY CONCERNED WITH THE CONSERVATION OF THE ENDANGERED ENDEMIC PLANTS AND ANIMALS OF MAURITIUS.

OUR MISSION

• TO SAVE THREATENED MAURITIAN SPECIES THROUGH THE RESTORATION OF ENTIRE ECOSYSTEMS.

• TO SEEK NEW INFORMATION THROUGH FIELD RESEARCH, DATA MANAGEMENT, CAPTIVE STUDIES AND SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATION FOR DIRECT APPLICATION TO RESTORATION METHODS AND MANAGEMENT.

• TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE GAINED THROUGH RESTORATION PROGRAMMES WITH FELLOW MAURITIAN AND INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATIONISTS.

• TO SHARE THE JOYS AND BENEFITS OF NATIVE WILDERNESS AND WILDLIFE WITH THE MAURITIAN PEOPLE.

• TO SECURE THE FUTURE OF MAURITIAN SPECIES THROUGH INCOME GENERATION AND SOUND MANAGEMENT OF HUMAN, FISCAL AND CAPITAL RESOURCES.

ACTIONS / LATEST ACTIONS / FORTHCOMING ACTIONS

• Predator control

• creation of sub-populations

• restoration of native habitat

• education and awareness raising

MWF'S ACHIEVEMENTS

CONSERVATION ON MAURITIUS IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST SUCCESSFUL CONSERVATION STORIES. THIS IS DUE TO MWF'S RESTORATION WORK STARTED IN THE 1970'S, WHICH INCLUDES THE RESCUE OF THE MAURITIUS KESTREL, THE ECHO PARAKEET AND THE PINK PIGEON, BROUGHT BACK FROM THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION. WE DEVELOP PROTOCOLS FOR THE RESCUE OF NATIVE PLANT SPECIES AND WE ALSO WORK IN RODRIGUES RESTORING THE FLORA AND FAUNA AND REPLANTING THE NATIVE FOREST. MWF HAS BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH ISLAND RESTORATION, IN PARTICULAR ON ILE AUX AIGRETTES AND ROUND ISLAND BOTH OF WHICH ARE ENDANGERED BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS OF GLOBAL IMPORTANCE. THESE CONSERVATION EFFORTS WILL BENEFIT FUTURE GENERATIONS OF MAURITIANS. MWF PROMOTES LOCAL CAPACITY BUILDING AND PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT THROUGH ITS ACTIVITIES. MWF WISHES TO REMAIN A STRONG, VIBRANT AND INNOVATIVE ORGANISATION.

SUPPORT THE MWF IN THEIR CONSERVATION ACTIONS: DONATE NOW!

Contact details for Mauritian Wildlife Foundation

Link to website: www.mauritian-wildlife.org

Contact Name: Lone Raffray

Telephone: 697 6117

Email: lraffray@mauritian-wildlife.org

Additional Information on rare species that can be found in Mauritius

On the Islets in the Bay of Grand Port live 4 endemic lizards. (Endemic means they are found here and nowhere else in the world.) Today they are threatened of disappearing and need your help.
One of the endemic lizards is the beautiful green lizard. She is our mascot Miss-Ti because she has a red-T on her head. No bigger than the size of your thumb, she carries the colours of our nation on her back.

Bann zil Grand Port nu Tresor ek so bann lezar

Before the arrival of man some 500 years ago, Mauritius was a reptile dominated island with beautiful giant tortoises, snakes and lizards. Today only a few of these unique reptiles remain.

Lezard vert or Gecko (Phelsuma ornata)

This charismatic gecko carries the colors of the Mauritian flag. It plays an important role in the ecosystem as it pollinates endemic plants. It is found on Ile aux Aigrettes as well as on coastal mainland Mauritius. You can spot it basking in the sun on native plants such as Vacoas, Palmier and Latanier.

Lesser night gecko (Nactus coindimirensis)

This shy nocturnal gecko lives in the rocks on Ilot Vacoas. As it lives and lays its eggs in the rocks along the coast it is important not to barbecue there, damage or cover the rocks. The lesser night gecko is eaten and outcompeted by the house gecko. The two species look similar but the house gecko is stronger and literally throws the night gecko out of his home. For this reason the night gecko can only survive on Ilot Vacoas where house gecko has not been introduced.

Telfair's skink (Leiolopisma telfairii)

The biggest of the Mauritian lizards, the Telfair's skink feeds on fruits, insects and sometimes other lizards. As a fruit eater it disperses endemic plants. It can be found on Ile aux Aigrettes where it has been re-introduced in 2006 from Round island.

Ilot Vacoas Bojer's skink (Gongylomorphus bojerii sp.)

This rare lizard looks like the Bojer's skinks on the northern islands, but it is a unique form that is now restricted to Ilot Vacoas. Once found on the other islands in the southeast, the skinks disappeared following the introduction of shrews, snakes and rats. Ilot Vacoas has remained free of these introduced species and so the skinks survived. The introduced species have been removed from the small island and the skinks are being moved back to their former homes in an attempt to save this unique lizard from extinction.

Bouton skink (Cryptoblepharus boutonii)

This fast moving skink with its beautiful shiny glow still lives on Ile de la Passe, Ilot Vacoas and Ile aux Fouquets. It is the only native lizard which can also be found outside Mauritius. Unfortunately, heating of rocks through barbecuing and dropping of litter causes many skinks to die every year.