North Island, Seychelles

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

North Island is a small granitic island (2.01 km²) in the Seychelles that is 5 km north of Silhouette Island. Recently (2003) it has been developed as a private resort with 11 villas for guests.

North was one of the first Seychelles islands to be visited. An expedition in 1609 by Alexander Sharpeigh of the British East India Company reported that the island had a large population of giant land tortoises.

From 1826 until the 1970s, North Island was owned by the Beaufond family from Réunion. During this time the island was a plantation for growing fruit and spices, as well as producing guano, fish oil and copra. After the plantation was sold in the 1970s, the island fell into disuse, being taken over by feral animals and alien species of weeds.

Since the development of the new resort, introduction of native species of Seychelles flora and fauna and the eradication of alien species have been taking place in order to return North Island to its former pristine state.