On the 30th of April 2024 we presented an article in the Forum page of Le Mauricien on how Le Bocage International School is aiming to lead sustainable development efforts across Mauritius through our innovative LBImpactS week Programme. Back then the 32 projects covering a range of issues represented by the UN Sustainable Development Goals were still in planning, last week starting the 27th of May these projects were delivered. Below is the first of a number of articles sharing our student’s experiences and learnings from their IMPACTs.
MARK JOHNSON, LBIS
Ile aux Aigrettes is a microcosm for a sustainable future. This small island on the South-East coast of Mauritius represents the MWF’s continuing perseverance to their vital conservation work of endemic plants and native species. With its diverse ecosystem comes a potentially even more diverse history wrapped in war, strife and hope; as during WW2, the British occupied this extraordinary islet as a military base, ripping apart endangered endemic species as they pleased. This article will talk about our experience on Ile aux Aigrettes, as we are students from Le Bocage who journeyed there for our LBIS Impacts Week from the 27th-29th of May. Furthermore, we will highlight the back-breaking yet imperative work the MWF conducts on this protected islet.
Who is the MWF?
The MWF is an acronym for the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation, and they are an NGO whose main goal is to save various different endemic plants and animals from extinction. They do this through many different processes such as: restoring ecosystems, conducting studies (i.e.: mating seasons) and promoting conservation work. This can be best seen when the MWF, with intentions to preserve the species, brought the ‘Olive White Eye’, a critically endangered species, to the mainland.
Why did I choose to initiate this project?
For LBImpactS week, students were tasked with initiating a project, and later on, after the initial planning stages, my team members joined me. I, Amelie, chose Ile aux Aigrettes due to a great amount of personal interest in the conservation work by MWF, but also because I believe the values they represent are in parallel to our IB Learner Profiles; specifically, the caring and balanced aspect. Aside from personal curiosity, and learner profiles, I also chose this project as it links to SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) number 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land).
DAY 1: Plants
Monday was our first day. We were given a tour of the forest. Pascal, responsible for the plant nursery, explained the unique facts of each plant whether endemic, exotic or indigenous. He would explain how they grow, what they need to grow and what type of fruits and flowers they bear. We got to see a very common endemic plant called the rat wood which was everywhere on the island.
After our tour, Pascal took us to the plant nursery where we mixed compost, perlite, coco peat and soil. He demonstrated how to repot a sapling successfully and we did so with the mixture of soil. We carefully repotted the endemic plants into bigger pots and we looked around the nursery to see the range of plants that have been growing over the years. One of the rarest plants being grown there is called the barleria observatrix. Endemic only to Mauritius, it was thought to be extinct until 2002 when only a handful was rediscovered on Corps de Garde mountain.
DAY 2: Tortoises
Day two involved working with the reptile team; tortoises in particular. The island is home to two different species of tortoises: the Radiata and Aldabra, with the Aldabra being much more common. We were taken to one of the two tortoise nurseries where they assigned us different tasks throughout the day. First we cleaned; this included washing food plates and drinking bowls, sweeping up dead leaves and twigs, while always being careful not to step on the small tortoises.
After learning that tortoises have very specific dietary needs; some of which include: noni fruits, noni leaves, hibiscus flowers and pumpkins, we fed them and it was interesting to see their obsession for food. Despite them eating for the whole day, it was still very important to simulate the environment outside captivity where food is not so easily available.
Later we were given the opportunity to help with the identification of the tortoises. Larger ones have a microchip inserted under their skin with a unique number. However, smaller ones, about a month or two old, need to be colour coded on their shells using four dots in each corner. As the colours tend to fade over time, we coloured them again using non-toxic markers.
Having had some practice handling the tortoises, we were moved to a different part of the enclosure that housed 5-10 years old tortoises. We then measured their shell dimensions and weighed them. This was recorded by Roberto, a member of the reptile team, to be further analysed against previous values to ensure the well-being of the tortoises.
Overall, it was a great opportunity to witness and be part of the conservation efforts for tortoises in Mauritius.
DAY 3: Passerine
On day 3, we were grouped with Julia and Juliano, experts on the critically endangered bird, the ‘Olive White Eye.’ Did you know one of the reasons for the Olive White Eye being so aggressive is because of its small stature and need to defend its territory? Talk about Napoleon syndrome. Their feeding stations are found all around the island and they are stocked with sweet water and fruits, while being adapted specifically for the Olive White Eye. These feeding stations do not replace the Olive White Eye’s natural resources, but just provide a researched alternative in case none can be found. Everything in the natural kingdom is interconnected, so it is important for members of the MWF to observe all 22 feeding stations at least once per month.
As our goal was to help the MWF with their mission, we were also taken to different feeding stations and we remained as quiet as possible while observing the behaviour of many different birds, including the 8 Olive White Eyes we saw. Now, we were extremely lucky as on the whole island, despite Ile aux Aigrettes being considered to be a populated region for these birds, there are only 51 of them. Every single one of these birds has a name (we saw Scarlet among others) and the MWF workers can identify them on the spot through their unique aluminium ID ring, with the additional coloured rings on their legs. Overall, it was a foreign yet enlightening experience where we developed a deeper understanding on the importance of accurate data, but also the importance of patience.
Do you know the differences between exotic, endemic and indigenous species?
l Exotic: exotic species are the plants or animals that have been introduced to a region by human means, either intentionally or not.
l Endemic: endemic species refer to the plants or animals that originate from one region and nowhere else in the world: they are endemic to that particular region.
l Indigenous: indigenous plants or animals are those that have been introduced to a new area by natural propagation, for example, birds dropping seeds (causing indigenous plants), or birds migrating (becoming indigenous birds).
Overall, we had a wonderful experience, and it was all thanks to the lovely and dedicated staff on Ile aux Aigrettes. We would like to give a special thank you to Aurelie Henshaw, the Head of Training, who coordinated and organised everything for us. Additionally, we would also like to thank our supervisor, Sandrine Chellen, who was there with us every step of the way. We hope that this article has been an informative document of our time and experience on Ile aux Aigrettes: how we met our learning goals, how we helped the MWF and how we promise to take our experience of this project to other areas of our lives. Finally, we hope that the MWF has found value in our efforts, so that future coordination between our school and the work done on Ile aux Aigrettes may continue.
