• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

Site description (2001 baseline)
This site is composed of two mountain peaks—Piton du Fouge (596 m) and Piton Canot or Chamarel Peak (530 m)—and their slopes in the extreme south-west of Mauritius. The site extends down almost to sea-level in the south and west, and to the Rivière du Cap in the east. The mountains support two small (totalling 450 ha) native vegetation patches, barely connected in the north to the more extensive forest of the Southern slopes. Most native vegetation is mixed montane forest, but dry evergreen lowland forest occurs in the rain-shadow of the west-facing slopes; all is heavily invaded by exotic plants. Surrounding the native vegetation (especially to the east) is a larger expanse of exotic vegetation (forest, scrub and pasture), which is included here because it is used by native wildlife. Part of the area is intensively managed for deer-hunting, forwhich private vehicle tracks, paths and pastures are maintained.

Key biodiversity
See Box and Table 2 for key species. The area supports two threatened and one near-threatened species, and five of the 10 restricted-range species that occur on Mauritius. Local densities of Hypsipetes olivaceus may be fairly high (5–20 pairs in 1993). Falco punctatus has been reintroduced since 1991 and in 1998 there were 1–10 pairs, probably increasing. Collocalia francica is a common visitor and may breed. Terpsiphone bourbonnensis occupies exotic Tabebuia pallida forest as well as native vegetation, but is probably declining (3–20 pairs in 1993).

Non-bird biodiversity: Endemic plant communities, all rich in rare and endemic species: dry evergreen lowland forest (near the coast in the south); mixed montane forest (on the upper slopes); evergreen bushland and thicket (small area). Plant species: many endemic, several very rare, some known only from this site. Mammals: Pteropus niger (VU, endemic). Reptiles: Phelsuma guimbeaui, Phelsuma cepediana (endemic).

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Chamarel - Le Morne (Mauritius). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/chamarel--le-morne-iba-mauritius on 23/11/2024.