The original Mauritian fauna consists mainly of large areas of ebony forests.  These expanses of indigenous forests covered the whole of the island prior to the arrival of the Dutch settlers in the 17^th century, who changed the landscape...    

The Mauritian flora:
A landscape outlined by history

In the 17th century, the expanses of the island's forests started to disappear and give way to the sugar cane exploitations, introduced by the Dutch.  The massive use of ebony wood for the repair of ships led to the extinction of this specimen.  The French and British continued this excessive and quasi-anarchical exploitation of the Mauritian trees, during their colonial periods.

Today, primary forests cover only 3% of the total surface area of the country.  They are to be found in Macchabée, in the gorges of rivers and in some estates, such as le Domaine du Chasseur, le Domaine de l'Etoile and the Yemen Reserve.  Today, the large expanses of the sugar cane plantations cover most of the Mauritian landscape.  

The most common tree species

1. The filaos: the casuarina is found along the beaches and provides shades to the picnickers.

2. The flamboyant: planted along the roadside. It blossoms from November to January and its flower is of a magnificent red colour.

3. The palm tree: introduced at the same time as the sugar cane, by the Dutch.

4. The "Vacoas": a small palm tree, used to manufacture handcrafted objects, including hats and baskets.

Numerous varieties of flowers

-the hibiscus
-the orchid
-the red and white anthuriums
-the trochetias
-the lilac

The fruit cultures is also very rich with plantations of mangoes, bananas, pineapples, avocadoes, star fruits, jack fruits, litchis, pawpaw, coconuts, guavas, water melons and breadfruit...