Farquhar Atoll lies 770 kilometres south southwest of Victoria. The atoll is the largest true atoll of Seychelles, covering an area of about 17,800 hectares and there are ten islands named in the constitution. The two main islands, Ile du Nord and Ile du Sud, make up 97 percent of the landmass of 799 hectares; these are separated by three small islands known as the Manahas. Three other islands lie in close proximity to each other on the northern rim of the atoll: Déposés, Ile du Milieu and Lapins. Banc du Sables is the most easterly island, and Goëlettes is the most southerly island. An eleventh island, Banc Fantala, appeared in 2016 following Cyclone Fantala. The lagoon has a maximum depth of 14.6 metres. Development of the atoll is confined to Ile du Nord.
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History
Portuguese explorers named the atoll after Joao da Nova. It was renamed in 1824 in honour of Sir Robert Farquhar, first British governor of Mauritius. Turtles and seabirds were long exploited. |
Flora & Fauna
Seabirds of Farquhar include a huge Sooty Tern colony and one of the largest Black-naped Tern colonies of the entire African region. Important numbers of turtles also breed. |
ICS Activity
Farquhar Island Conservation Centre opened in 2015, the most remote outpost of ICS. Monitoring focuses upon nesting turtles and the huge seabird colonies, collectively recognised as an IBA. |
Farquhar was named in honour of Sir Robert Farquhar in 1824, appointed governor of Mauritius when it was captured from the French (in 1810.) Earlier visitors had named it after Portuguese explorer Joao da Nova who commanded that nation’s third expedition to India during which he encountered Farquhar (in 1504.) The island was a grey area for many years, with both Mauritius and Seychelles claiming the right to administer it. In 1881 the authorities in Seychelles suggested Farquhar, along with several other outer islands, be administered from Victoria rather than from Mauritius. Proprietors made money from copra, together with the export of dried fish, maize and guano. The settlement of Grande Poste was established on Ile du Nord dominated by a particularly grand plantation house, used by the manager and visitors, but now in ruins. In 1965, Farquhar became a part of British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). However, just prior to Seychelles’ independence, Farquhar was returned to Seychelles by BIOT for the nominal fee of SR30, although sovereignty remained with Britain until actual independence in June 1976. IDC built an airstrip to improve communications with Mahé.
The uninhabited islands of Farquhar and surrounding waters form an Important Bird Area. Goëlettes is the most notable island, with a huge seasonal colony of about 200,000-400,000 pairs of Sooty Tern, about 10,000 pairs of Brown Noddy and smaller numbers of Lesser Noddy and Roseate Tern. Black-naped Tern also breed here and at Bancs Sable, a discovery made by ICS in 2006. Goëlettes Island is a critical nesting habitat for seabirds and will be proposed as a Strict Nature Reserve (IUCN, Category I). There is a huge population of Red-footed Boobies, including 2% white-tailed brown morph, which breeds nowhere else in Seychelles. In 2017, ICS discovered Greater Crested Terns nesting at Banc Fantala, the first breeding for many years. The abundance of some grouper species is about three times greater than in the Amirantes and up to thirty times that of the granitics. In particular, the density of Napoleon Wrasse is phenomenal, possibly the highest in the world. On the edge of the reef, at certain times of year, there are spawning aggregations of thousands of Camouflage Grouper and Brown-marbled Grouper. This is in sharp contrast to other parts of the world where many aggregations have totally collapsed. Farquhar is also an important nesting site for turtles. Surveys conducted in the early 1980s when adult turtles were intensively hunted estimated 400–450 nesting green turtle females and 20–35 hawksbills per annum. A survey conducted in 2007 suggests increases in nesting numbers thanks to the protected status of turtles in Seychelles since 1994. Other fauna of interest includes the gold-dust gecko and coconut crab.
In 2007, Farquhar Foundation was formed as a new NGO, bringing together Island Conservation Society, Islands Development Company and Ministry of Environment. An agreement was signed establishing a long-term basis for conservation and restoration of the ecosystems of Farquhar. Each party remains independent, but recognises the need to cooperate for the successful delivery of conservation. Under the agreement all conservation and science related projects on Farquhar Atoll are carried out by ICS unless an agreed alternative is authorised by a meeting of the foundation.
ICS established a Conservation Centre on Farquhar in September 2014 under the Outer Islands Protected Area Project (GEF/UNDP) to assess & monitor the Farquhar biodiversity. Today, commercial copra production on the island has ceased and tourism, especially fly-fishing, has been identified as a replacement source of income for the atoll. In April 2016, Cyclone Fantala, the most powerful cyclone ever recorded in the western Indian Ocean, struck Farquhar. Almost all infrastructure except the cyclone shelter and over 90% of coconut trees were destroyed.
The uninhabited islands of Farquhar and surrounding waters form an Important Bird Area. Goëlettes is the most notable island, with a huge seasonal colony of about 200,000-400,000 pairs of Sooty Tern, about 10,000 pairs of Brown Noddy and smaller numbers of Lesser Noddy and Roseate Tern. Black-naped Tern also breed here and at Bancs Sable, a discovery made by ICS in 2006. Goëlettes Island is a critical nesting habitat for seabirds and will be proposed as a Strict Nature Reserve (IUCN, Category I). There is a huge population of Red-footed Boobies, including 2% white-tailed brown morph, which breeds nowhere else in Seychelles. In 2017, ICS discovered Greater Crested Terns nesting at Banc Fantala, the first breeding for many years. The abundance of some grouper species is about three times greater than in the Amirantes and up to thirty times that of the granitics. In particular, the density of Napoleon Wrasse is phenomenal, possibly the highest in the world. On the edge of the reef, at certain times of year, there are spawning aggregations of thousands of Camouflage Grouper and Brown-marbled Grouper. This is in sharp contrast to other parts of the world where many aggregations have totally collapsed. Farquhar is also an important nesting site for turtles. Surveys conducted in the early 1980s when adult turtles were intensively hunted estimated 400–450 nesting green turtle females and 20–35 hawksbills per annum. A survey conducted in 2007 suggests increases in nesting numbers thanks to the protected status of turtles in Seychelles since 1994. Other fauna of interest includes the gold-dust gecko and coconut crab.
In 2007, Farquhar Foundation was formed as a new NGO, bringing together Island Conservation Society, Islands Development Company and Ministry of Environment. An agreement was signed establishing a long-term basis for conservation and restoration of the ecosystems of Farquhar. Each party remains independent, but recognises the need to cooperate for the successful delivery of conservation. Under the agreement all conservation and science related projects on Farquhar Atoll are carried out by ICS unless an agreed alternative is authorised by a meeting of the foundation.
ICS established a Conservation Centre on Farquhar in September 2014 under the Outer Islands Protected Area Project (GEF/UNDP) to assess & monitor the Farquhar biodiversity. Today, commercial copra production on the island has ceased and tourism, especially fly-fishing, has been identified as a replacement source of income for the atoll. In April 2016, Cyclone Fantala, the most powerful cyclone ever recorded in the western Indian Ocean, struck Farquhar. Almost all infrastructure except the cyclone shelter and over 90% of coconut trees were destroyed.
Island Gallery
