Looking Ahead
Through their Centre on Ile Plate, ICS is offering visitors a rare opportunity to engage directly with conservation through hands-on participation. Expanding beyond marine and avian monitoring, ICS is now launching programs to explore lesser-studied aspects of the island’s biodiversity, such as conducting inventories of reptiles and native plant species. These projects may be small, but they are meaningful victories for conservation on Île Plate. Each new project contributes to a growing understanding of the island’s unique ecosystem and helps restore its natural balance. While many unknowns remain, the presence of a permanent conservation team offers hope for continued progress and the development of a comprehensive database of species and habitats that need protection.
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Living on Aride
Living in such proximity to wildlife was one of the most rewarding—and sometimes surprising—parts of my time on Aride. I shared space with skinks in the kitchen, watched seabirds raise their chicks just metres from my bedroom, and frequently had to pause data collection for a stubborn tortoise refusing to approach any of the food items offered up during a feeding experiment. With no distractions from modern life, I learned to slow down, observe more deeply, and appreciate the complex dynamics of this fragile ecosystem. Gazing into the ancient, weathered face of a giant tortoise felt like looking back in time. Their deeply wrinkled skin and deliberate, unhurried movements through the forest carried an unmistakable echo of the Jurassic era. Each tortoise had its distinct personality, some were shy whilst others were bold, and over my weeks on Aride, I came to know each of them individually. The one tortoise that stood out from the very beginning was a remarkably spirited male known on the island as T-Rex. True to his name, T-Rex was the most fearless and charismatic of the group. While most tortoises would hiss and retreat into their shells at the sight of a human, T-Rex would march straight up to visitors, expectantly leaning in for scratches. His confidence and curiosity made him a constant presence, and by the time I left Aride, it felt like he had left just as much of a mark on me, as I had on him. Aside from tortoises, as part of my research, I also had to learn to identify the flora found on Aride. This gave me a deep appreciation of the beautiful plant life found on Aride and across the Seychelles. I am especially going to miss wandering beneath the towering, crimson-leaved Indian-Almond trees on the coastal plateaux, and amongst the forests of endemic Wright’s Gardenia on the East hill. A highlight of the three months was being able to experience the Wright’s Gardenia in flower for the short few days that this occurs yearly. Beyond my time on Aride, weekly shopping trips to Praslin gave me the chance to enjoy the delicious food from the reggae bar in Grande Anse every Friday. It was here that I developed a love for creole food, especially fish coconut curry, which may be the thing I miss most from the Seychelles! However, it was the small community of people living on Aride that really made my time on the island. Whether it was one of the incredible fish BBQs Steve provided for us, or the support the island’s conservation officers, Emma and Maria, provided at the beginning of my data collection, I was made to feel welcome on the island and part of the community. To Future Researchers To future researchers and volunteers who are fortunate enough to spend time on Aride, my strongest recommendation would be to take the time to explore the island and fully embrace the stillness and peace that it offers. Aride is one of the rare places left on Earth where the natural world remains largely undisturbed, and thus where you can truly feel what it means to be immersed in the wild.
According to the ICS Conservation Officer, Lisa Wareing, the insect of their interest seemed to have been on the island for a while since a thriving population, with multiple females, has been identified and seen actively laying eggs. Interestingly, all sightings have so far been of females, with most found on the Noni plant (Morinda citrifolia), on which they lay their eggs. When and on which plant the adults feed on is as yet unknown, leaving more work for the team to do.
“The caterpillars can vary in colour, with some being bright green while others are black. They also have or grow a long tail,” describes Wareing, referring to the horned larvae common to the species. The adults’ behaviour in feeding during the daytime is in contrast to most other moth species on the island, which is what made it first stand out. The adult is dark brown, with orange patches on the underwing. It only seems to fly in low light around dawn and dusk, which makes it difficult to find. To help clarify its identity, the ICS team has reared caterpillars and documented every stage of the development. They have also collected specimens of those that hatch, which have been preserved and will be sent to international laboratories and other colleagues for identification. This unexpected discovery has added a new dimension to the conservation efforts on Desroches Island, as well as other islands where ICS has a permanent presence. Desroches is known for its giant tortoises; however, the island’s smallest inhabitants also deserve attention. A new species of wasp for Seychelles has also been found by the team, which shows the potential for further research. Studying moths may not be every conservationist's interest, but this is a sure sign that there are many more things to be discovered by science, especially when it comes to insects. |
