Volumes 1 and 2 of the publication ‘Birds of the Indian Ocean’, penned by Mr Narainsamy Ramen, were launched by the President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun, during a ceremony held at the Hennessy Park Hotel, in Ebène.
A copy of the publication was remitted to the President, as well as other eminent personalities present on the occasion, including the Vice-President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Marie Cyril Eddy Boissézon, Lady Sarojini Jugnauth, and the Ambassador of the Republic of Madagascar to Mauritius, Mr Albert Camille Vital. The publication will be on sale to the public as from next week.
In his address, the President congratulated the author, Mr Narainsamy Ramen, for coming up with the publication and stated that it is a precious legacy and yet another contribution in raising awareness about the biodiversity of our country.
He underlined that the high-quality publication contains impressive illustrations of over 1,000 bird species and added that it is a real treasure that brings readers on an adventure in the world of birds which will enable them to learn about the rich avifauna of the country.
President Roopun stated that the publication conveys a strong message, that is, the urgency to protect our environment and to be respectful to Mother Nature. He dwelt on the devastating impacts of climate change, in particular to Mauritius which is more vulnerable being a small island developing state.
He underpinned the bold measures taken by the Government to protect the country’s biodiversity, including protecting various endemic bird species such as the Pink Pigeon, the Mauritius Kestrel, and the Echo Parakeet. According to him, the publication will inspire everyone to engage and contribute in one way or another in the global fight against climate change.
In addition, the President stated that the launching of the publication is another great occasion to celebrate the valuable contribution of the Mauritian diaspora, and affirmed that the latter is a precious national asset to our economy that can bring new perspective and contribute to the socioeconomic development of the country.
As for Mr Ramen, he spoke about the decades of work behind the publication and underlined the herculean and demanding task and patience as a bird photographer to capture the magical and unique moments in the lifecycle of birds in a single snapshot.
He affirmed that the publication is his ultimate contribution to the world of books and qualified it as his ‘Swan Song’. I hope that it highlights to all readers the remarkable beauty and diversity of Indian ocean birds, particularly our endemics, he added.
Birds, he underlined, are the celebration of life on earth, and are testimony of the power of evolution. He deplored the effects of human activities that are causing the disappearance of some species and also cautioned against the impacts of climate change. Furthermore, he asserted that we are the last generation that can act to prevent the climate change catastrophe.
Mr Ramen left Mauritius at a very young age and had a fruitful career within the Royal Air Force in the early 70s as an aerial photographer.
