​Desroches Island: One of ICS’s Pioneering Outstations Thrives After 15 Years of Conservation Efforts

At just over 5 kilometers long and 1-kilometer-wide, Desroches is 39 times smaller than Mahé. It is a coralline island that forms part of the Amirantes Group of the Outer Islands. The island has been heavily altered since people arrived, with much of the native vegetation being cut down to make way for a coconut plantation. Today, Desroches is more known for its free-roaming giant tortoises and high numbers of nesting sea turtles.
 
In 2009, ICS established a conservation center on Desroches to focus on environmental rehabilitation, monitoring, and research. The goal was to educate staff and visitors alike while ensuring that Desroches Island would become a model of success through the partnership of ecotourism and conservation. After 15 years, Desroches is a demonstration of what long-standing restoration and rehabilitation work can achieve on a remote island.
 
Sharing the Island
 
For Desroches, conservation has been a collective effort, with all partners working collectively on various projects. The Desroches Foundation raises funds for conservation initiatives and monitoring, supported by Four Seasons, the Islands Development Company (IDC), and the Desroches Home Owners Association. While not everyone shares the same priorities, collaborative planning has yielded productive outcomes. All parties work hard to protect the island’s most important species, including sea turtles, tortoises, and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters.
 
Incidentally, the Wedge-tailed Shearwaters have established the largest breeding colony of the island within the hotel grounds. Therefore, ICS works closely with the Four Seasons on various aspects of the conservation of this seabird species, leading to one of the most successful recovery stories for the island. “In the 2024-2025 breeding season, over 1,500 pairs were estimated to be on the island, marking the highest number ever recorded,” says Elisabeth Wareing, the Conservation Officer on Desroches.
 
Meetings of the Desroches Foundation are held three times a year to track the progress of conservation work plans, propose and budget for projects aimed at preserving the ecosystems and species conservation, and introduce initiatives that allow visitors to engage with the island’s natural environment. One such initiative is the Tortoise Adoption Program, which has been running since 2021 and has helped raise funds for ongoing conservation efforts. Visitors can visit the tortoise sanctuary regularly and interact with over 150 juveniles, which are cared for until they reach 9 kilograms when they are released to roam freely on the island.
 
“These tortoises play an essential role in restoring the island to its natural state by spreading seeds and creating diverse habitats. They also serve as a link between visitors and the island’s biodiversity. Guests can adopt a giant tortoise with ICS, keeping a connection to their adopted tortoise even after leaving the island, all while supporting our conservation work,” explains James Wareing, the Assistant Conservation Officer at ICS on Desroches.
 
Conservation Success
 
The restoration and rehabilitation efforts on Desroches have started to show remarkable results in the number of birds that had previously been driven away by human activity and have now returned and begun to breed on the island.
 
One such example is the Fairy Terns, which had previously only been spotted sporadically and have now established a breeding colony of approximately 50 pairs on the island. Similarly, other species, such as White-tailed Tropicbirds and Madagascar turtle doves, that were absent when ICS first established the conservation center in 2009 have also returned and begun breeding on Desroches.
 
Throughout the 15 years, ICS have unveiled various unknown aspects of Desroches and the surrounding Indian Ocean. For example, exciting marine species have washed up on the shores like the False Killer Whale, the Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale, and the Sperm Whale. Another exciting discovery is that the lagoon provides a haven for various marine species, especially Hawksbill and Green sea turtles that feed on the sponges, algae, soft corals and seagrass.
 
Every year, projects are initiated to meet environmental challenges. One such project is the introduction of reef balls along the coast to mitigate against coastal erosion and provide a habitat for marine species. ICS is also actively learning and exploring other aspects of the island’s ecosystem. A comprehensive inventory of all species found on the island is one example of such a project that has recently been approved by all partners. This has already led to records of insect species that had never previously been recorded in Seychelles and the discovery of a species of crab previously only known from the Inner islands.
 
This is an exciting time for Desroches and a far cry from the situation in 2009, when ICS began its conservation efforts on the island. “Back then, there was a small lodge on the southwest of the island, catering to visitors and a handful of IDC staff and two ICS staff. The island was managed by the IDC, with each group going about its own business,” says James. “At that time, the only native bird consistently breeding on the island was the Wedge-tailed Shearwater.”
 
Fifteen years later, Desroches has much to boast about, thanks to the dedicated efforts of conservationists, researchers, and donors. The island now stands as a shining example of sustainable development and a testament to the success of ICS’s long-term commitment to conservation.

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