The Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, proceeded, today, with the inauguration of the Mare Sarcelle trail at the Bras d’Eau National Park, to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity, celebrated each year on 22 May as proclaimed by the United Nations. This year’s theme is “Building a shared future for all life”
The Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin; the Minister of Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Darsanand Balgobin; the Minister of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping, Mr Sudheer Maudhoo; the Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mrs Kalpana Devi Koonjoo-Shah as well as the Parliamentary Private Secretaries: Dr Anjiv Ramdhany; Mrs Teena Jutton; Dr Muhammad Ismaël Rawoo; and Mr Rajanah Dhaliah; and Member of Parliament, Mrs Subhasnee Luchmun Roy, and other personalities were present at the inauguration ceremony.
On the same occasion, a First Day Cover, a set of three stamps depicting extinct pigeons and parrots from Mauritius and Rodrigues, was also presented to the Prime Minister. Moreover, a pamphlet was launched following which the Prime Minister proceeded with a tree planting ceremony and undertook a trek along the Mare Sarcelle Trail accompanied by other personalities.
Inaugurated in the context of the International Day for Biological Diversity, the trail of 7.5km within the Mare Sarcelle wetland area will add to the network of 5km trails already existing in the 497.2 hectare of the Bras D’Eau National Park (BDNP). A new viewpoint will also be developed and it will be accessible to visitors for migratory bird watching in the Mare Sarcelle wetland.
In a statement, Prime Minister Jugnauth highlighted that the inauguration of this trail follows two previous inaugurations, namely the Black River Gorges-Bel Ombre Biosphere Reserve and the Belle Vue Forest Trails at Daruty, so as to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.
On this score, the Prime Minister underlined that the Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security is doing its best so as to increase this endangered bird’s population and support a viable population of the Mauritius Paradise Fly Catcher (Terpsiphone bourbonniensis desolata), an endemic bird of Mauritius that is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red list as Least Concern.
Bras D’Eau National Park (BDNP) was proclaimed as a national park on 25 October 2011 under the Wildlife and National Parks Act No.13 of 1993 and covers approximately 497.2 hectares.
Bras D’Eau is largely a man-made forest with well demarcated planted plots and forest tracks. More than 66% of the plants found are exotic species, 18% are native species while the remaining 16% is made up of endemic species. Two endemic birds, one endemic mammal and reptile are also found in the park and surrounding areas.
Mare Sarcelle, one of the largest coastal wetlands in Mauritius, forms part of the BDNP and covers an area of 89.37 ha. It consists of an important thriving population of mangroves, native plant species and also supports a few species of migratory birds.
