When Reunion was first settled marine turtles were extremely numerous and thousands nested annually on the local beaches. Regrettably they proved a cheap and easily accessible food source and were wiped out over time. Urban development of the coast has not encouraged the re-establishment of nesting.
Restoration of the littoral vegetation
with the hope of the return of
the sea turtle nesting activity
10 hectares of littoral forest are restored at Etang Salé (South West coast of Reunion Island) by the National Office of Forests (ONF) with the funding of the European Union (80%), Regional direction of La Réunion (10%) and ONF (10%).
The objective is to remove the alien species (Prosopis juliflora, Agave vera-cruz, Furcraea foetida, Opuntia ficus-indica, Sansevieria metallica),and plant indigenous and endemic species (Heliotropium foertheranium, Scaevola taccada, Hibicus tiliaceus, Latania lontaroides). Because the beach close the project was historically one of the last sea turtles nesting sites of Reunion Island, a cooperation with Kelonia the observatory of sea turtle was implemented. Kelonia have in charge to control the beach twice per month to control the eventual tracks of nesting activity. This survey is funded by the Regional Direction of the Environment.
This project was inspired by a similar project started in 1999, on the beach of St leu (West coast of La Reunion). Since 2004, 80% of the nest observed on the coast of Reunion Island were observed on this rehabilitated beach. That seems demonstrate the positive impact of the ecological restoration of the littoral vegetation on sea turtle reproduction.
PUBLICATION
Réhabilitation écologique d'un site de ponte
de tortues marines à l'Etang-Salé
(île de La Réunion).Perrigault M. (2010) Rapport de stage Master 2 réalisé à l'ONF
Nesting beach revegetation and
its influence on green turtle
(Chelonia mydas) conservation
in Réunion Island
Ciccione S. & Bourjea J. (2010)
Indian Ocean Newsletter N°11: 2-4.
Nesting of Green Turtles in Saint Leu,
Réunion Island. Ciccione S., J. Bourjea.. (2006),
Marine Turtle Newsletter n°112: 1-3.
Marine turtle nest translocation due
to hurricane threat on Réunion Island. Ciccione S., Lauret-Stepler M., Bourjea J.
(2008) Marine Turtle Newsletter n°119: 6-8.
Kélonia, the observatory of marine turtles
Saint-Leu, La Réunion, France
The Observatory of Marine Turtles
