Wildlife of
Mauritius

Primary Threats

• Native forest and wetland habitats are highly fragmented, with much of the original lowland forest replaced by sugarcane agriculture, settlements, and infrastructure. Remaining native habitat is concentrated in upland areas (e.g., Black River Gorges) and small patches, limiting space for endemic plants and forest birds and increasing edge effects.
• Invasive mammals (rats, feral cats, mongoose) prey on eggs/chicks of ground- and canopy-nesting endemic birds; invasive plants (e.g., guava and other aggressive exotics) outcompete native flora and prevent forest regeneration. In freshwater and coastal systems, invasive species alter habitat structure and food webs, requiring continuous control, especially in fenced reserves and on offshore islets.
• Rising sea temperatures drive coral bleaching and reef degradation, while sea-level rise and stronger storm surge threaten coastal wetlands, beaches, and low-lying infrastructure. Changes in rainfall patterns and more intense cyclones stress upland forests, increase landslide/erosion risk, and can disrupt breeding success of already small endemic populations.
• Lagoon and reef water quality is impacted by nutrient and sediment runoff from agriculture and catchment disturbance, as well as wastewater discharges in some coastal areas. Marine pollution risks include plastics and episodic contamination events (including oil/chemical spills), which can affect seabirds, turtles, and reef health and undermine tourism-dependent coastal economies.
• Nearshore lagoon fisheries face pressure from artisanal and recreational fishing, with localized depletion of reef-associated fish and invertebrates, reduced herbivory that supports reef resilience, and conflicts over access in heavily used coastal zones.
• Coastal development (hotels, marinas, sea defenses, roads) fragments dunes, beaches, and wetlands, increases light/noise disturbance, and can alter sediment dynamics that reefs and lagoons depend on. Inland, roads and utilities increase access to remaining native forest edges, facilitating invasion and human disturbance.
• Concentrated development around coastal hubs and the main urban corridor increases demand for land and water, intensifies wastewater and stormwater loads to lagoons, and places additional pressure on remaining green spaces and watershed integrity.
• Although the agricultural footprint is long-established (notably sugarcane), continued land-use intensity and conversion of marginal areas can reduce buffers around native remnants and increase pesticide/fertilizer runoff into rivers and lagoons, affecting freshwater biodiversity and coastal reefs.
• Small, managed populations of endemic birds and reptiles are vulnerable to introduced pathogens and vector-borne disease (and to changing disease dynamics under warmer conditions). Biosecurity breaches on islands/islets can rapidly spread disease in confined populations.
• Many endemic species persist as small, isolated populations (often managed in a few sites or islets), making them vulnerable to inbreeding and reduced adaptive capacity. Conservation breeding and translocations help, but long-term genetic resilience depends on habitat expansion and connectivity where feasible.
• High visitation in coastal and forest recreation areas can disturb sensitive wildlife (e.g., nesting seabirds on islets, forest bird territories) and increase trampling/erosion on trails and coastal vegetation; boating and anchoring can damage reefs and seagrass in popular lagoons.
• Historical drainage/alteration of wetlands and ongoing channelization and hard coastal defenses modify natural hydrology and sediment flow. Catchment modifications can increase sedimentation on reefs, reducing coral recruitment and changing lagoon habitat structure.