Mauritian Wildlife Foundation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) is a non-governmental, non-profit conservation agency working in Mauritius to save threatened endemic local flora and fauna.
The Mauritian Wildlife Appeal Fund was established in 1984 under the initiative of naturalist Gerald Durrell and the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust principally to raise funds for the conservation of endemic Mauritius wildlife. The conservation work in Mauritius began as a species orientated program concentrating on a few critically endangered species, including the Mauritius Kestrel and the Pink Pigeon. The initiation of the conservation program in 1976 was popularized by Gerald Durrell in his book Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons.
In 1996, the organization expanded its operations to habitat restoration, including the management of native forests and small islands. The evolution of MWF from a funding and administration organization to that of a hands-on conservation agency was reflected in the new name adopted that year, the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation.
The Foundation is now perfecting whole ecosystem management and restoration, which includes predator and pest (weed) control. It also has captive breeding programs for animals, and endemic plant nurseries. This work is being done at Brise Fer in the Black River Gorges National Park, and on the islands of Ile aux Aigrettes, Round Island, and Rodrigues Island.
In 1998, MWF expanded its activities into two new fields: ecotourism on Ile aux Aigrettes and an Environmental Education programme in Rodrigues.
The MWF is currently working to conserve the following species:
- Pink Pigeon
- Mauritius Kestrel
- Echo Parakeet
- Rodrigues Fruit Bat
- Mauritius Fody
- Mauritius Cuckoo-shrike
- Mauritius Bulbul
- Mauritius Paradise Flycatcher
- Mauritius Olive White-eye
- Day gecko species of the genus Phelsuma
- Night geckos species of the genus Nactus
- Round Island boa
- Telfair's Skink
- Bojer's Skink
- Macchabe Skink
- Bouton Skink
See also: Gerald Durrell, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Wildlife Trust (US), Wildlife Preservation Canada
[edit] External links
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation
- An article in The Independent, London.
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Institutions associated with: Jersey Zoo • Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust • Wildlife Trust • Wildlife Preservation Canada • Mauritian Wildlife Foundation • Madagascar Fauna Group Co-conservationists: Lee Durrell • David Attenborough • Peter Scott • Jeremy Mallinson • Edward Whitley Expeditions undertaken: Argentina • Australia • Belize • Bhutan • Cameroon • India • Madagascar • Malaysia • Mauritius • Mexico • New Zealand • Paraguay • Russia • Sierra Leone Species associations: Aye-Aye • Gorilla • Mauritius Kestrel • Pink Pigeon • Pigmy Hog • Rockfowl • St. Lucia Parrot • Volcano Rabbit Books authored: The Overloaded Ark • Three Singles to Adventure • The Bafut Beagles • The New Noah • The Drunken Forest • My Family and Other Animals • Encounters with Animals • A Zoo in My Luggage • The Whispering Land • Island Zoo • A Look at Zoos • Menagerie Manor • Two in the Bush • The Donkey Rustlers • Rosie is My Relative • Birds, Beasts and Relatives • Fillets of Plaice • Catch Me a Colobus • Beasts in My Belfry • The Talking Parcel • The Stationary Ark • Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons • The Garden of the Gods • The Picnic and Suchlike Pandemonium • The Mockery Bird • Ark on the Move • The Amateur Naturalist • How to Shoot an Amateur Naturalist • Durrell in Russia • The Fantastic Flying Journey • The Fantastic Dinosaur Adventure • The Ark's Anniversary • Keeper • Toby the Tortoise • Marrying Off Mother and Other Stories • The Aye-Aye and I • Puppy Tales • The Best of Gerald Durrell Illustrators: Ralph Thompson • Edward Mortelmans • Peter Barrett • Graham Percy • Keith West • Cliff Wright Famous TV Series: Two in the Bush • Catch Me a Colobus • The Garden of the Gods • The Stationary Ark • Ark on the Move • The Amateur Naturalist • Ourselves and Other Animals • Durrell in Russia Notable others: Jacquie Durrell • Lawrence Durrell • Achirimbi II • Theodore Stephanides • Douglas Botting |
