ECOLOGIST DR DYLAN DAVIES RUNS DOWN FROM HIS OFFICE by
the fruit and vegetable garden onto the dazzling white sand. I
wave to him from the shoreland where the Indian Ocean rolls up
the South Beach. I point proudly to the tracks in the sand that
lead up a steep sandbank. There, struggling with all her might, is one
of the world's few remaining Hawksbill sea turtles. She has come to
Cousine Island in the Seychelles to lay her precious
eggs.
Hawksbill turtle comes ashore to lay her eggs
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She's come to the right place. Hawksbill turtles have been hunted
to near extinction for their lucrative shells, but on this small
granitic island she is on safe ground.
The 60-year old mother digs a deep hole into which she deposits 160
ping ping ball-like eggs. She is measured and tagged before she covers
her nest and returns to the sea. For Dylan, it provides valuable
data for the island's turtle monitoring programme, which is now
the most extensive in the West Indian Ocean, and she is pleased with the
'textbook delivery'. For me, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that
brings a lump to the throat.
The nest, the 14th on Cousine this season, is clearly marked for daily
monitoring. In about 60 days' time, the eggs will hatch and the hatchlings
will be escorted safely to the sea. 'We can't guarantee their survival once
they get there,' says Dylan. 'But we can make sure that 100 per cent of
hatchlings at least make it that far.'
Guest accommodation in one of only four luxury villas
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It is encounters of this type that make Cousine unique. The sands are white
and soft. The sea stretches out in mesmerising bands of blue and green.
Coconut palms sway in the breeze and the accommodation in one of only
four white villas is luxurious. But there is more to Cousine than being an
exclusive private island of breathtaking beauty. It is a working island
where conservation is king, and the staff, when not tending to your every need,
are dedicated to preserving some of the worlds rarest
species.
This becomes apparent immediately. Welcomes and introductions, with
freshly-squeezed mango and papaya juice, are made on the veranda of
the colonial-style French pavilion. Bang on cue, one of the rarest birds
in the world, the Seychelles magpie robin, lands on the back of a sun lounger.
There are only 160 of the birds left in the world and 28 of them live on
Cousine, thriving under the island's endemic species conservation
programme.
As we stroll to our villa more surprises are in store. The view is magnificent,
but the trees and bushes demand our attention: a brightly coloured Madagascar
fody flutters in our wake, lizard-like skinks dodge our footsteps and an
array of lesser noddies bustle overhead. A pair of pure white fairy terns
doze on a shady log and a diminutive Seychelles sunbird hovers by the
sunloungers on our terrace overlooking the sea.
A 71-year old resident plods out of the undergrowth to check us out.
It is Greg, a giant Aldabra tortoise, who weights 230kg and likes to be tickled
under the chin. He is one of 26 gentle giants who roam the island freely
having been rescued from lamentable conditions elsewhere. Five-year-old Lily,
the latest addition, spent the first five years of her life in a tiny concrete
pen.
26 giant tortoises roam the island
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Cousine is a nature lover's paradise. It is haven of luxury and tranquility
where the star attraction is nature in all its colourful and noisy glory.
With a maximum of eight guests on the island, you can enjoy a sense of total
peace and privacy. Whether you're lounging on your terrace or ambling
down to the new spa for a massage by the sea, you get the feeling you are
the object of curiosity in a world where man takes second place.
'All the creatures here are so tame because they haven't had exposure
to any predators,' explains Dylan. 'However, the island isn't a zoo or
an aviary. We're simply providing a safe and protected environment in
which we can observe nature doing what nature does. Cousine is one of
the world's largest islands without any introduced mammals such as cats,
rats and dogs. The key is to keep the island free from such predators
to sustain a pure environment.'
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Nesting white-tailed tropicbirds
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Providing this safe haven comes at considerable cost and effort. In
addition to employing two full-time ecologists to oversee the monitoring
and restoration projects. A huge restructuring and replanting
programme has ensured the optimum conditions for a wide range of
land and seabirds. Every effort is also made to keep the island
predator free. Take the helicopter arrival and departure. I'd wrongly
assumed this merely added James Bond glamour to the experience. It is,
however, key to preserving the island's purity: no guests or
deliveries of food or building materials arrive by boat lest
unwelcome stowaways jump ship. If one pregnant rat or a troop of crazy ants
were to come to Cousine, years of conservation work creating the diverse
habitat that is home to more than 61 species of birds would be for
nothing.
Creating
a luxury resort that is ecologically sound and sustainable
is no mean feat and this symbiotic relationship lies at the heart of the
island's philosophy. The island, which is owned by a South African businessman
with a passion for nature, is not a money making concern. Far from it. The
hotel was established to help offset the high cost of the conservation work
and needs to sustain 70 per cent occupancy to break even. All proceeds
from guests coming to the island are ploughed back into the conservation work.
The benevolent businessman, who is more concerned about leaving a natural
legacy, subsidises the shortfall.
Dylan and his wife, and fellow ecologist, Frankie love to share their
experiences and guests are actively encouraged to take part in the conservation
work. 'No matter how rich or famous our guests are, they all muck in on
Cousine,' says Dylan. 'Everyone realises something unique is happening here
and are keen to do their bit.' Any contribution is welcome, from planting a
tree in the extensive replanting scheme to assisting Frankie with the
bird monitoring programmes or volunteering to do one of the hourly beach
patrols during the turtle nesting season. 'If you want to just chill out
on the beach you are still supporting our work simply by coming here,'
says Dylan.
Strolling down the kilometre-long beach on turtle patrol is a joy not a
chore and if you get lucky, as I did, the moment you see the tell-tale tracks
emerging from the sea will stay with you for the rest of your life. It is
a project in which you feel priviliged to participate.
Being a novice ecologist is hungry work and luckily the pots and pans of
resident chefs Vovo and Pascal sizzle with exquisite cuisine. While
supping cooling beer at the bar, wafts of ginger, lemon grass and chilli
permeate the balmy night air, but only when you've sat down at the table
does the serious cooking on the al fresco hob begin.
'I have to be creative and inventive using the different herbs and fruit
and vegetables on the island,' says Pascal, who learnt his skills in
his native Mauritius and specialises in fish and seafood. 'Guests are
surprised by my creations. Many ask me how to make my sauces and dishes
and I am happy to show them. Many people have told us we'd be rich and
famous if we were working in London,' he laughs.
Cousine from the air
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As you tuck into your gourmet dinner to the sound of breaking rollers
and birdsong, a lesser noddy swoops into the pavilion's open dining
terrace. At one point Vovo and Pascal down tools to assist a disorientated
shearwater that has crashlanded on a rack of plates. It is amazing how quickly
such events become second nature to the urban guest.
Exclusive island bookings cost £3,250 per night plus hotel tax.
This includes villa accommodation for eight people, all meals and drinks,
and island based activities. For details of special offers and individual
bookings, visit
www.cousineisland.com. Air Seychelles flies directly from
London to the Seychelles. See www.airseychelles.com. With thanks for Rainbow
Tours for assisting with this feature. Visit www.rainbowtours.com.
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