Giant tortoises and wheeling petrels on Round Island

Posted onNovember 28, 2023|Canada's New Noah, Canada's New Noahs, In the News

Since 1988, the Canada’s New Noah program has given young biologists in Canada the opportunity of a lifetime. Each year, Wildlife Preservation Canada selects a post-secondary graduate from dozens of applicants across Canada for the single, coveted position on the tropical island of Mauritius in the western Indian Ocean to complete a program featuring hands-on management of some of the most endangered species in the world. Sarah Falconer is WPC’s 2023 Canada’s New Noah and reports on her experiences.

Living close to nature, as we do here in Mauritius, provides daily reminders of the passage of time. As the days get noticeably warmer, the sunsets get later, and the red-tailed tropic bird hatchlings lose their fluff and grow real feathers, I am confronted with the realization that my time here is nearly over! I begin my final month with a four-week stint on Round Island, soaking up the last of this incredible island.

Beautiful Round Island, and the field station.

This visit was made extra special because of the reunion of two of Round Island’s distinguished alumni, Steve North and David Bullock. Steve and David are two British ecologists who first came to Round Island in 1975 as part of an undergraduate university course. Now, almost 20 years later, they return to Round Island to see the outcomes of the conservation work they pioneered. The focus of their work was primarily on the regeneration of the vegetation community of Round after the eradication of invasive mammals. You can read their work here.

On a professional level, it was an incredible privilege to share time with David and Steve. I learned from their experiences, and now better understand how the island has changed in the near 5 decades since they first arrived. They were astonished by how much had transformed in that time, particularly with the planting and cultivation of a hardwood forest, which, Steve believed would never be possible on Round Island given the previous degradation. They were also particularly taken with the giant Aldabra tortoises, which weren’t introduced to Round until 2008. On a personal level, it was an inspiration to see how the conservation actions of the past can have real, positive, impact in the future. At the risk of sounding too cheesy, it gave me hope.

Giant aldabra tortoise, introduced to Round Island in 2008.

As my time in Mauritius nears and end, I have been asked several times what my main takeaway from this experience has been. Upon reflection, there are several I could choose from. I’ve learned new skills like pit-tagging, banding, and surveying, that I can’t wait to apply in Canada. I’ve become more knowledgeable about what contributes to successful translocations, and how to monitor these actions to ensure they are the most effective. I’ve met an incredible network of likeminded biologists from all over the world who I will no doubt remain in contact with for the rest of my life. But above all else, my main takeaway is that conservation work like this is possible. It is possible to restore degraded habitat, to bolster critically threatened populations, and protect the absolute rarest of species. It takes an incredible amount of work, time, and no small measure of passion but the work we are doing now will be contributing to positive change in the future. Spending time with David and Steve was a beautiful confirmation of this sentiment.

To say my time in Mauritius went quickly would be an understatement. It feels like just yesterday I arrived, yet I am already preparing to leave. I am incredibly grateful to the team here, and the support of Wildlife Preservation Canada and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation  for this incredible experience. I am excited to have the opportunity to bring these skills and knowledge with me back to Canada to help protect and monitor our biodiversity!

Soaking up the last few rays of sun from the Île aux Aigrettes jetty. 

Günther’s geckos love to take refuge in the branches of Ficus trees. It can take a while to check every branch to make sure you don’t miss any!

Sarah Falconer

Canada’s New Noah

Sarah is WPC’s 32nd New Noah. She is building upon a wealth of conservation knowledge that she has gained working in Canadian conservation in British Columbia and Manitoba through this hands-on training program with some of the most endangered species in the world.

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