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Many who go to Mauritius are likely to by no means depart the confines of their lodge resorts or enterprise past its world-renowned seashores. However for the curious adventurer, meandering by way of the island’s mangroves reveals a trove of pure wonders.
On the northeast of Mauritius lies an islet known as Ile d’Ambre, one of many final remaining wildlife sanctuaries on the island, proper throughout an unassuming bay. This bay serves as a launchpad as you first navigate a couple of fishing boats earlier than paddling in direction of a wall of inexperienced.
It’s only if you get nearer to them that the twisted roots popping out of the water turn out to be obvious. Ile d’Ambre is among the final pure strongholds left on Mauritius, the place the Mauritian Forestry Service estimates that solely 2% of the island’s indigenous forests stay. Apparently, this little islet is regarded as the place the place the final dodo was killed.
Mangrove forests present necessary habitats for varied plant and animal life types and although they solely cowl 0.5% of the world’s ocean floor space, they’re estimated to bury 70% of the carbon sequestered within the ocean.
These forests are important for the everyday lifetime of human subsistence. A United Nations examine on the essential function of the Mauritius mangrove ecosystem revealed that 70% of the nation’s business fish species rely upon them for his or her survival.
Within the final three a long time, Mauritius has misplaced 30% of its mangroves, prompting the federal government to embark on a restoration programme which noticed a complete of 60 000 seedlings planted throughout the island. This has boosted the variety of mangrove forests in Mauritius from solely 45 hectares in 1980 to 145 hectares in 2013.
The mangroves have shaped a pure labyrinth all through the bay, and fortunately our information Patrick Haberland from Yemaya Adventures knew his means by way of the alleyways shaped by the roots.
Getting up shut, I caught glimpses of life: oysters rising on the aspect of roots and a whole bunch of crabs crawling round. Patrick guided us right into a clearing for a dip, a spot he aptly calls ‘coconut pool’ because of the water’s milky shade.
Afterwards, we climbed again within the kayaks and have been about to set off again to the mainland when somewhat scurry within the water prompts Patrick to say: ‘There goes somewhat Zambezi’! Even apex predators want this protected ecosystem to outlive.
Footage: David Henning
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