World_of_Animals_Issue_46_2017

A wildlife paradise
Top tips
Gone but not forgotten
While enjoying the wide variety of fauna
on Ile aux Aigrettes, keep an eye out
for the bronze statues that pay tribute
to Mascarene species no longer around
today. It’ll make you appreciate the
animals that do remain even more.
win
a Hammamas!
visit www.animal
answers.co.uk to
enter tHe draw
Visit mini Mauritius
About an hour’s flight east of Mauritius
is the small volcanic island of Rodrigues.
Part of the Mascarene archipelago, it too
boasts creatures found nowhere else on
the planet, including its very own species
of warbler, fruit bat and fody.
Learn the lingo
Mauritius is a multilingual society, with
Mauritian Créole being the main language
spoken by the locals. However, English and
French are also widely used, particularly in
tourist areas, so it’s worth brushing up on
your Français before you go.
Key kit
Merrell Kahuna
III sandals
For adventurers looking for
something more durable
than a pair of basic flipflops,
the Kahuna III sandals
are ideal. The thick rubber
soles and padded suede
uppers make for a winning
combination of comfort
and ruggedness.
£85
merrell.com
HERO5 Black
GoPro’s HERO5 allows you
to capture nature on the go
like never before. It can be
used while snorkelling to a
depth of ten metres (32.8
feet) without a case. Out
of the water, it includes a
voice-command feature, so
you don’t even have to hit a
button to take a photo!
£399.99
gopro.com
Clash spearmint,
azure and orange
Colourful Hammamas
are the next generation
of beach towel. Light,
compact and quick to
dry, a Hammama works
just as well as a picnic
blanket, tablecloth, casual
beachwear or even as a
makeshift bag.
£25
hammamas.com
Bushnell Equinox
A lot of Mauritian wildlife
is on the small side and
well camouflaged, so it
makes sense to take along
some optical assistance.
Bushnell’s Equinox works in
all light conditions, so is as
suited to viewing dolphins
in the day as it is fruit bats
during the night.
£259.95
manfrotto.co.uk
WakaWaka Base 10
Mauritius is blessed with
eight-plus hours of bright
sunshine most days, and
you can take advantage of
that with the WakaWaka
Base 10. Fully charged,
this solar power kit has
enough juice to replenish
four smartphones and also
includes two LED torches.
£139.99
amazon.co.uk
© freevectormaps.com; Alamy; NaturePL; Thinkstock; Dreamstime
Who to travel with
Budget
Mauritian Wildlife
Foundation
mauritian-wildlife.org
Ile aux Aigrettes ecotour
Two-hour tours offer the chance to see
many of the country’s rarest animals and
plants for less than £20 per adult.
Beach retreat
Steppes Travel
steppestravel.co.uk
This ten-day trip includes seven nights halfboard
at the 20 Degrees Sud boutique hotel
on the north coast, just a short drive from the
departure point for the reef tours. From £2,295
per person, with all flights and transfers.
Safari combo
Rainbow Tours
rainbowtours.co.uk
Kenya Safari & Mauritius Escape
This 13-day trip starts in Kenya’s Maasai Mara
viewing traditional game before heading to
Mauritius. From £3,240 per person; includes
flights, transfers and accommodation.
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