Île Plate in Focus: A Year of Progress with ICS

On August 8th, a team from the Island Conservation Society’s Head Office at Pointe Larue, along with members of the Plate Foundation, visited Île Plate to launch a new conservation initiative. They were joined by the island’s first permanent conservation team, marking the beginning of a promising chapter for conservation on another island managed by the Islands Development Company (IDC). This effort was made possible through collaboration with key stakeholders, including the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and the Department of Environment in the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment.
One year later, the team has celebrated several conservation milestones and continues to build on its early successes.

Turtle Monitoring
A total of 438 Hawksbill turtle nests were recorded and of which 70 were tagged.  Ongoing monitoring of Green turtles has also been close to record-breaking, with 46 nests documented and 7 individuals tagged. The data collected so far has made Ile Plate one of the most important nesting areas for sea turtles in Seychelles.

Marine Monitoring
Monitoring of the lagoon around Ile Plate has been very interesting, with an abundance of marine life recorded, including five species of rays and two species of sharks. The team has expanded their monitoring into seagrass and other marine life, highlighting the ecological importance of the lagoon surrounding Île Plate.

Bird Observations
Before their arrival on Ile Plate, data on birds were sparse for Ile Plate. In the last year, the team has recorded 42 bird species frequenting the island. Amongst the most important discoveries was a Red-tailed tropicbird that nested successfully on the island, and a small colony of wedge-tailed shearwaters, which will now be part of continued monitoring and possible future conservation initiatives.

Challenges and the Way Forward
Marine Debris
Due to Île Plate’s proximity to Mahé and its extensive lagoon, marine debris remains a major concern. Through regular beach patrols, the team have collected an astounding 505.55 kilograms of debris over the past year, comprising mainly of plastic bottles and fishery-related waste.

Invasive Alien Species
The presence of invasive species poses a threat to the island’s ecosystem. The most prominent is the Castor oil plant, which contains the toxin Ricin which is poisonous to most animals including humans. The removal of this invasive species has been actively targeted. So far, 6,723 square meters have been cleared, and 4.72 kilograms of seeds have been collected to prevent regrowth.  Another challenge has been the presence of rats, feral cats, and chickens. ICS has added a dedicated eradicator to its conservation team to address this issue on Ile Plate. So far, 26 feral cats and over 212 chickens have been removed to reduce pressure on native wildlife.

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. 
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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.