News and Blogs

  1. Latest News
  2. Cousin Island News
  3. Blue Economy Seychelles
  4. Green Health Blog
  • Research: Roaming seabirds need ocean-wide protection, research shows

    Unlike other oceans, which are known to have specific “hotspots” where predators, including seabirds, gather in large numbers to feed, the Indian Ocean lacks such concentrated feeding areas, a recent paper has revealed. This lack of hotspots is particularly concerning given the various threats seabirds face due to human activities.[…]

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  • Saya de Malha leaves for its third dFAD clean-up expedition

    (Seychelles Nation) The Saya de Malha vessel of the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) left Port Victoria yesterday afternoon for its third drifting Fishing Aggregate Devices (dFAD) expedition clean-up exercise in Seychelles territorial waters and shores of the outer islands. As customary since the first expedition in October 2022, students from Seychelles[…]

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Coming Soon!

Coral Aquaculture Facility!

coral aquaculture web banner

We have started work on the Assisted Recovery of Corals (ARC) facility to revolutionise our coral reef restoration process Learn more

Find Us On ...

Implementing the SDGs

At Nature Seychelles we are committed to working with government, development partners and donors in implementing relevant actions, in particular, looking at certain goals where we can build on our existing strengths. Read more

Seychelles Wildlife

Natural environment of the Seychelles

Seychelles is a unique environment, which sustains a very special biodiversity. It is special for a number of different reasons. These are the oldest oceanic islands to be found anywhere...

Bird Watching

Seychelles is a paradise for birdwatchers, you can easily see the unique land birds, the important sea bird colonies, and the host of migrants and vagrants. Some sea bird...

Seychelles Black Parrot

Black Parrot or Kato Nwar in Creolee is brown-grey in colour, not truly black. Many bird experts treat it as a local form of a species found in Madagascar and...

Fairy Tern

The Fairy (or white) Tern is a beautiful bird seen on all islands in Seychelles, even islands like Mahe where they are killed by introduced rats, cats and Barn Owls....

Introduced Land Birds

A little over two hundred years ago, there were no humans living permanently in Seychelles. When settlement occurred, people naturally brought with them the animals and plants they needed to...

Native Birds

Although over 190 different species of bird have been seen on or around the central islands of Seychelles (and the number is increasing all the time), many of these are...

Migrant Shore Birds

Shallow seas and estuaries are very rich in invertebrate life. Many birds feed on the worms, crabs and shellfish in these habitats; often, they have long bills for probing sand...

Seychelles Magpie Robin

The most endangered of the endemic birds, Seychelles Magpie Robin or Pi Santez in Creole, came close to extinction in the late twentieth century; in 1970 there were only about...

Seychelles Blue Pigeon

The Seychelles Blue Pigeon or Pizon Olande in Creole, spends much of its life in the canopy of trees and eats the fruits of figs, bwa dir, ylang ylang and...

Seychelles White-eye

The Seychelles White-eye or Zwazo Linet in Creole, is rare and endemic. They may sometimes be seen in gardens and forest over 300m at La Misere, Cascade and a few...

Seychelles Black Paradise Flycatcher

The Seychelles Black Paradise Flycatcher or the Vev in Creole is endemic to Seychelles, you cannot find this bird anywhere else on earth. Although it was once widespread on...

Seychelles Sunbird

The tiny sunbird or Kolibri in Creole, is one of the few endemic species that has thrived since humans arrived in the Seychelles.

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Achievements

  • Stopped near extinctions of birds +

    Down-listing of the critically endangered Seychelles warbler from Critically Endangered to Near Threatened. Other Seychelles birds have also been saved including the Seychelles Magpie Robin, Seychelles Fody, and the Seychelles
  • Restored whole island ecosystems +

    We transformed Cousin Island from a coconut plantation to a thriving vibrant and diverse island ecosystem. Success achieved on Cousin was replicated on other islands with similar conservation activities.
  • Championed climate change solutions +

    Nature Seychelles has risen to the climate change challenge in our region in creative ways to adapt to the inevitable changing of times.
  • Education and Awareness +

    We have been at the forefront of environmental education, particularly with schools and Wildlife clubs
  • Sustainable Tourism +

    We manage the award-winning eco-tourism programme on Cousin Island started in 1970
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Crystal for Christmas

The sea is as calm as a Hindu cow, the sun is at its highest in the sky and the mosquitoes seem to be on a hiatus from their typical buzzing and biting. It is Christmas Eve on Cousin Island Special Reserve and Nature Seychelles wardens are preparing to receive guests from Crystal Esprit, a luxurious cruise ship on its maiden voyage in the Seychelles.

On 20th December 2015, Crystal Esprit was officially christened at a dazzling ceremony held at Eden Island Marina, which was attended by local dignitaries, travel partners, and executives from the line's new parent company, Genting Hong Kong (GHK).

“To say today is a special day is an understatement,” said Edie Rodriguez, Crystal Yacht Cruises president and CEO, during the christening event. “Since joining Crystal just over two years ago, a personal goal of mine has been to see Crystal realise the next step in continuing to pioneer luxury travel and hospitality; and today I am seeing that dream fulfilled.”

 Cousin here we come

After numerous discussions between Nature Seychelles Reserve coordinator, Eric Blais and Creole Travel Services Coordinator and Representative, Maxwell Racombo, it was agreed that Crystal guests would have exclusivity for visiting Cousin Island outside the normal opening hours. Creole was awarded the tender to provide the tour services for Crystal Esprit in the Seychelles. 

After their regular tours which run between 10.00am and 12.00pm, Cousin Island wardens take a break, have their lunch and head straight back to the landing shelter to receive Crystal guests.

“We were expecting 19 guests and 5 Creole staff members to disembark for this first visit on Christmas Eve but after seeing the amazing sight that is Cousin island, over 40 guests and 10 staff members came ashore!” says Eric Blais who was there to welcome them. “It was great to see that all the guests were really happy with their visit, and we are looking forward to receiving the next group.”

 So many 'kodak' moments to capture

Once on Cousin, guests have the option for a guided tour around the island or to lie on the beach, go for a swim or even snorkel in the pristine waters around the island. Fifteen of the guests opted for the tour led by the Reserve Wardens. Because Cousin is also a Marine Protected area, and it being turtle nesting season it was vital to stress the importance of not disturbing the wildlife both on land and in the water. All the Reserve Wardens were on hand to ensure everything was handled well.

This was however not a one-time visit. Each Monday at 1.30 pm, between the 4th of January up to the 7th of March, Crystal will moor next to Cousin Island, and the Cousin boat will disembark guests for a two hour visit. Crystal’s maiden voyage to the Seychelles was a seven-night cruise around the islands, stopping at Cousin, La Digue, Curieuse, Aride, and Praslin followed by a two-night land program in Dubai, in time for New Year's Eve.

“All the monies we receive from tourists’ visit on Cousin Island are reinvested into conservation work,” says Dr Nirmal Shah, Nature Seychelles CEO. “In as much as we are pleased that the tourists had a wonderful time on Cousin, it is also important to note that as a non-governmental conservation organisation, working with private enterprises such as Crystal is a great boost to our conservation work in the Seychelles.”

Partners & Awards

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Our History

Since 1998.

Seychelles Nature, Green HealthClimate Change, Biodiversity Conservation & Sustainability Organisation

@CousinIsland Manager

Facebook: http://goo.gl/Q9lXM

Roche Caiman, Mahe

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Contact Us

Centre for Environment & Education

Roche Caiman,

P.O. Box 1310, Mahe, Seychelles

Tel:+ 248 2519090

Email: nature@seychelles.net