Important Bird Areas

Mauritius supports one of the densest concentrations of threatened bird species in the world. All seven endemic land bird species are threatened. Three other species are shared only with La Réunion. All these species are restricted range and belong to the Mauritius Endemic Bird Area (EBA) which covers the whole of the island. Large seabird populations on the northern islets include the sole Afrotropical and Indian Ocean colony of Herald (Round Island) Petrel Pterodroma arminjoniana.

Both native land birds of Rodrigues, Rodrigues Warbler Acrocephalus rodericanus and Rodrigues Fody Foudia flavicans are threatened, single island endemics which belong to the Rodrigues EBA.

There are 16 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) designated by BirdLife International in the Republic of Mauritius. These cover 443 km2 or about 22% of the land surface area of the Republic.

The eight sites on the island of Mauritius cover 19,740 ha equivalent to about 11% of the area of the island. Five sites cover Mauritian islets and include all the important seabird colonies.

The two sites on Rodrigues cover the whole population of both endemic species, all exisiting and potential seabird colonies and islets suitable for rehabilitation and translocation of native landbird species.

The final site covers the whole of Cargados Carajos shoals and its seabird colonies.

The list of IBAs is as follows:

Further information on the IBAs and EBAs of Mauritius can be found at BirdLife International.