Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
Cousine island is situated 5 km south-west of Praslin, 2 km from Cousin. The main part of the island is formed by a ridge of ancient granite rising to 70 m, overlooking a small coastal plateau on the eastern side, fringed by a 1 km long sandy beach. The rest of the island is surrounded by a rugged, rocky coastline. The hill is covered by closed-canopy woodland dominated by
Ficus nautarum,
F. reflexa and
Pisonia grandis. The plateau retains small patches of this woodland, the remainder now being covered with scrub and grassland. The island was formerly exploited for coconuts
(
Cocos nucifera), planted extensively during the twentieth century, and for seabirds (mainly shearwaters). These activities were abandoned in the 1970s and coconuts are being progressively eliminated. A small orchard and garden has been kept for the few resident staff. The coral reefs around Cousine hold a rich marine life and some traditional fishing takes place. It has a helicopter pad and a small-scale, high class tourist facility.
See Box and Table 2 for key species. This IBA is one of only four major sites in Seychelles with populations of
Copsychus sechellarum, (13 birds in 1999, from three pairs introduced in 1995),
Acrocephalus sechellensis, (137 birds and 42 territories in 1997, from 29 birds introduced from Cousin in 1990) and
Foudia sechellarum (450–670 birds in 1996). In addition,
Nectarinia dussumieri,
Alectroenas pulcherrima (tens) and
Streptopelia picturata x
rostrata (c.200 birds) also occur, of which some individuals show the characteristics of
rostrata. Other landbirds
include
Gallinula chloropus (min. 84 birds),
Butorides striatus (4–6 birds) and the exotic
Geopelia striata and
Foudia madagascariensis. Cousine is also important for breeding seabirds, with the large largest colony of
Puffinus pacificus in Seychelles. In addition to those listed below,
Puffinus lherminieri nicolae (hundreds of pairs),
Anous stolidus (c.900 pairs) and
Sterna anaethetus (c.50 pairs) also breed. Some 1,300 pairs of
Gygis alba were present in July 1999 and it is thought that more than 5,000 pairs probably nest during the course of the year. Non-breeding
Fregata ariel and
F. minor occur regularly in mixed flocks.
Numenius phaeopus and
Arenaria interpres and, less frequently,
Dromas ardeola can be found throughout the year along the coastline.
Non-bird biodiversity: Two species of skink endemic to Seychelles, Mabuya wrightii and M. seychellensis, occur at extremely high densities. Other abundant endemics include several species of geckos (Phelsuma spp. and Ailuronyx sp.) and invertebrates. A small population of the endemic snake Lycognathopis seychellensis also occurs. Hawksbill turtles Eretmochelys imbricata (CR) nest on the beach.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
This privately-owned island is currently managed as a wildlife sanctuary and has been placed in a trust by the owner to secure its long-term future. Considerable emphasis is placed on the conservation of native biodiversity, particularly the birds. Numerous monitoring and research projects are being undertaken, including of the coral reefs, marine turtles and terrestrial taxa (birds, reptiles, invertebrates and plants). Removal of all alien plant species and the planting of native trees on the plateau are conservation priorities, as are control measures for
Acridotheres tristis and
Tyto alba. Cousine is free of alien mammals (cats were eradicated in 1986). Colonization by rats is a permanent potential threat, as is the poaching of seabirds, particularly
Puffinus pacificus. A management plan has been prepared.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Cousine island (Seychelles). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/cousine-island-iba-seychelles on 18/12/2024.
