IMAGES: GETTY
INDIAN OCEAN
Hell-Bourg, a small village in Réunion BELOW: Hawksbill turtles on a reef in the Seychelles
RÉUNION The island of Réunion, 420 miles east of Madagascar, is a jumble of jagged, UNESCO World Heritage Site-listed peaks, thrusting up to 10,000ſt into the sky. Among them is Piton de la Fournaise, one of the world’s most active volcanoes. Steppes Travel off ers bespoke hiking and beach holidays that explore La Réunion’s zigzagging trails. Aſt erwards, maybe head to nearby Mauritius for a well- earned chillout.
steppestravel.com
turtles
A paradise idyll in the Seychelles, North Island is as passionate about the environment as its luxury credentials. Ayyoub Salameh, the general manager of North Island, discusses the island resort’s rehabiliation and conservation eff orts
SWAHILI
Learn a little Swahili and it will always smooth your path in Kenya. Hotel staff often greet guests with a cheery ‘karibu’ (‘welcome’). The well- known hakuna matata’ (‘no problem’) is a firm favourite too. To break the ice, practise saying ‘habari?’ (‘how are you?’).
magicalkenya.com
Hawksbill and green turtle numbers are dwindling. Visitors with four weeks or more to spare can help by working as Marine Conservation Volunteers on North Island in the Seychelles, assisting environmentalists in monitoring turtles and other endangered species as part of a long-running ecosystem restoration project.
Why do sea turtles need protecting? They’re keystone species. For example, green turtles keep the seagrass beds healthy by grazing on them, and their egg shells and the hatchlings that don’t make it add important nutrients to the ecosystem. By safeguarding the nesting sites of hawksbill and green turtles for two decades, we’ve seen a remarkable increase in turtles nesting here.
What’s the main threat to their survival? Truthfully, fi shing gear and rubbish in the ocean. Turtles can drown if they get caught in debris. To tackle this, North Island is plastic-free. We’ve banned single-use plastic and, every morning, our beach patrols collect rubbish carried by the trade winds and recycle it to ensure it doesn’t re-enter the ocean.
How is ecotourism in the Seychelles aiding marine conservation? It’s educating people, while raising funds to enable us to do more. The non-profi t organisation Wildlife ACT has been an amazing partner. One of the original team, Elliot Mokhobo, fell in love with the fl ora and fauna of the island and decided to stay on. He’s one of our best-loved guides.
wildlifeact.com
north-island.com
Jul/Aug 2020 103
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