Indian Ocean Overseas Entities Léa TRIFAULT Tanguy NICOLAS UICN Comité Français Extremely Contrasting Region Population Pop

4 entities (3 FR / 1 UK)

Two extremes: From uninhabited and pristine to crowded and severely threatened Ecosystem profile for the Indian Ocean overseas entities Léa TRIFAULT Tanguy NICOLAS UICN Comité Français Extremely contrasting region Population Pop. Population • 2 densely populated ORs  density growth (2013/2015 GDP per (per km²) (per year) estim.) capita (2011) uninhabited OCTs France 99 +0.4% 67,087,000 31,536 € • Réunion – richest Indian Ocean island La Réunion 332 +1.2% 845,000 18,902 € Mayotte – poorest EU overseas entity Seychelles 181 +0.4% 90,000 10,317 € Mayotte 577 +2.7% 233,000 7,896 € • Socio-economic situation: Mauritius 630 +0.7% 1,261,000 7,449 € . located amongst some of the world’s Comoros 343 +2.0% 785,000 742 € poorest countries Madagascar 36 +3.0% 22,434,000 387 € Îles Éparses N/A >100 N/A . High immigration rates (Mayotte) BIOT N/A >4000 N/A . High unemployment rates (>25%) © TN © FL La Réunion (FR) Mayotte (FR) © FL Extremely contrasting region Reunion & Mayotte Environmental trends for populated ORs: • Spread of invasive alien species (IAS): ca. 300 species • Deforestation: 75-100 ha/year in Mayotte (0.2% of natural forests remains) 5 projects to cut mangroves • Poaching: sea turtles (300-500), dugong • Degradation of ecosystems due to poor agricultural practices • Overfishing and illegal fishing Challenges: • Economic growth while minimizing environmental impact • Manage urbanization along with conservation © FL © FL La Réunion Mayotte Extremely contrasting region

Îles Éparses (FR) – Bassas Da India British Indian Ocean Territory (UK)

© TP © JS • Îles Éparses (Scattered Islands), BIOT (a.k.a. Chagos archipelago): no permanent population, close to pristine ecosystems, attractive natural assets Environmental trends: • Climate change impacts on tropical marine & terrestrial ecosystems • Increasing threat by invasive alien species (IAS), mostly terrestrial (rats, cats) • Illegal fishing Biological importance of the region Ecosystem services in populated ORs: © NV Mayotte reefs & mangroves: crucial role in lagoon & coastal life Tourism: diving (€1.5 m), cruising / whale watching (€1 m) © FL © CA © CA

Forests in La Réunion: limit landslides during cyclones, provide drinking water. Tourism (mainly outdoor activities): 10% private sector and employment, 1st “exports”

400k visitors, 410 m€ (2013) © FL

Uninhabited entities - Îles Éparses (Scattered Islands) & BIOT: • Exceptional reef state: . 1/4 of total healthy reefs in region with good resilience . Fish biomass up to 7 times higher than other regional reefs . Largest regional concentration of reef sharks (and improving) • Important areas for bird and marine turtles nesting (~ 15,000/year) • Sanctuaries to study global changes & elaborate solutions

© FLe © JS © JS Existing biodiversity La Réunion # Endemism • Great plant diversity with almost 50% endemism Species rate from Mascarene plants 1738 26% • due to molluscs 2500+ 10% High terrestrial habitat diversity crustaceans 570 ? combination of altitudes and winds exposure terr. reptiles 20 10% • Many endemic insect and bird species due to amphibia 2 0 island’s remoteness birds 19 58% terr. mammals 11 9%  But 25% gone extinct (worldwide) since human mar. mammals 21 0 colonization (exploitation, IAS…) © KL fishes 900+ ? corals 190+ ? insects 1500++ 33%

© TN © GH © CS Existing biodiversity Mayotte • High site-specific marine diversity # Endemism Species rate Home to 25% of world’s marine mammal species plants 774 6% • Important bird migration route between East molluscs 1029 50% Africa & Madagascar crustaceans 462 ? terr. reptiles 16 50% >130 bird species observed, 32 nesting amphibia 2 100% birds 32 6% Ramsar site with 35 birds species More resilient terr. mammals 10 0% insects and plants biodiversity than Reunion mar. mammals 24 0% fishes 1000+ ? © TN corals 450+ ? insects 400++ ?

© MD © MD © CA Existing biodiversity Brisith Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), aka « Chagos archipelago » • Over 10% of Indian Ocean reef cover • 25% of region’s “low threat”, healthy corals • Up to 7x higher reef fish biomass than other regional sites • 10 Important Bird Areas (IBAs): > 50 bird species on atoll,17 breed on atolls • Home to largest land-living arthropod - coconut crab – extinct on other islands

• Large (esp. Glorieuses) healthy reef systems • Each island an IBA Glorieuses • Diverse flora on each island (diff. climates), with endemics on some. Tromelin Juan de Nova • Europa Island (Ramsar site): Bassas Madagascar 2nd biggest regional nesting site for green turtles da India Nesting site for endangered birds • Several bird and plant species extinctions during

Europa 20th century due to human activities

© TP © TAAF © JB Threats and pressures on biodiversity • Invasive alien species (IAS) – main threat to biodiversity loss in all 4 entities Birds nesting in OCTs (uninhabited) Plants/habitats in ORs No regional IAS strategy • Habitats destruction – biodiversity  urbanization/agriculture Limited land-use planning Lack of enforcement of Mayotte’s biodiversity strategy Very demanding social context monopolizing most attention and means (local authorities to state institutions)

La Réunion KBAs KBA with Pas Terrestrial 34 20 Marine 7 1 Total 41 21

KBA without any protection status KBA with a protection status Non-KBA Protected area Key biodiversity areas (KBAs) © UICN Fr Mayotte KBA without any protection status KBA with a protection status Non-KBA Protected area

Mayotte KBAs KBA with PAs Terrestrial 21 16 Marine 5 5 Total 26 21 © UICN Fr Key biodiversity areas (KBAs) Glorioso / Glorieuses Delineation KBAs for Îles Îles Éparses Éparses currently under finalization and validation: • 10 IBAs, all emerged land Tromelin • Including marine reef species

Juan De Nova

Bassas Da India

Europa Key biodiversity areas (KBAs) BIOT Delineation KBAs for BIOT currently under finalization and validation: • 10 IBAs and most emerged land • Lagoons and mangroves (2) • RAMSAR site Current conservation activities Indian ocean Protected areas Recognition of natural Some projects EU ORs & (PAs) habitats and wildlife in conservation OCTs Mayotte (F) • Natural Marine Park on whole EEZ • RAMSAR site • Reserve(s): hill tops & ridges

• Coastal area protection (incl. • Currently 5 IBAs (15 • Reserve on Saziley dry forest tip Mangroves) suggested for update, • New National Action Plans © FL© • National Natural Reserve (only PA) Dec. 2014) • Defining local IAS strategy • Public forests (outdated prot.status) • ZNIEFF (mar. & terr.) • Lagoon listed as candidate for • 2 Biotope protection decrees under delineation UNESCO World Heritage site

LS • Whole National Park is • Better implementation of IAS La Réunion © • National Park (40% of the island) UNESCO World strategy (+means and (F) • 2 National Natural Reserves (1

Heritage (since 2008) stakeholder involvement) marine, 1 wetland) • 8 IBAs • New reserves for endangered

© TN • 13 Biological Reserves (ONF) • 270 terrestrial ZNIEFF natural areas out of NP • Coastal areas protected • 23 marine ZNIEFF • Extend habitat restoration actions • 3 Biotope protection decrees proposed (dry forest and savannah)

• Natural Marine Park covering the • RAMSAR site • National Natural Reserve project HL Îles Éparses © whole EEZ, neighbouring Mayotte • 4 IBAs (all 4 emerged for entire Europa island (F)

Marine Park islands) (important habitat, plant and

• Several protection decrees • Europa: IOSEA site (10 nesting birds diversity + marine

fishing and terrestrial species East Asian marine • Eradication of rats on Europa

taking/introduction turtles importance sites) (complex in mangrove part) • 5th world largest MPA covering • Island restoration: terr. habitat,

BIOT (UK) DM the whole EEZ full No Take Zone, native plants rats eradication © • RAMSAR site except Diego Garcia atoll and • Ecological monitoring JS© • 10 IBAs recreational fishing 12 miles around • Conservation outreach (visitors

• Strict land reserves on 2 islands and military staff) Current investments in conservation 2 ORs (FR) 2 OCTs (1 UK & 1 FR) • BEST 2011-2012 (3 projects) European • EU structural funds (FEDER & FEADER), but 1st • BEST 2.0 (potentially) level programming for MYT, yet to be implemented • FED (mostly Îles Éparses) • LIFE+/environment (currently REU only) • Ministère de l'Ecologie, du Développement durable et de l'Energie (DEAL) • UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) • Ministère de l’Outre-Mer (IFRECOR) National • TAAF Préfecture • Conseils Départmentaux, Conseil Régional (REU) & • DEFRA UK- Darwin Initiative • Préfecture (CPER) Regional • Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) • Agence des Aires Marines Protégées (AAMP, MYT) level • UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee • Conservatoire du Littoral (CdL) (JNCC) • Office National des Forêts (ONF) • French research institutes IFREMER, IRD (REU) • Private companies with an impact on natural • Université de La Réunion (ATF) Local habitats through their activities (quarries, electricity, • US Army via local association/club (IOT) level & waste and water management, road & infrastructure • Foundations (Chagos Conservation Trust, Other building): environmental compensations but also Bertarelli, Pew Charitable Trust, Kew Botanical, funding local NGOs Blue Marine Foundation, etc.) Critical areas for action & investment needs © CA All 4 entities of the Indian ocean region: • Fight against invasive alien species • Restoration of degraded ecosystems Mayotte • Declaration of new protected areas and enforce protection © TN • Local capacity building ORs – La Réunion and Mayotte: • Better integration of natural habitats and biodiversity conservation in territory management schemes • Focus on “nature-based solutions” in environmental management © JS • Increase knowledge on ecosystem services • Research – further inventories of species, habitat descriptions

Contact us in the Indian ocean hub Aurélie BOCQUET Tanguy NICOLAS Léa TRIFAULT BEST III Indian BEST III Indian BEST III Indian ocean Coordinator ocean Expert ocean Ecosystem Profile Expert

aurelie.bocquet @uicn.fr [email protected] [email protected]

Photos credits: IUCN French Committee AG Alice GOUZERH JS Jon SLAYER www.uicn.fr CA Charly ANDRAULT KL Kevin LE PAPE CAt Chris ATTRAIT MD Matthias DEUSS CS Chris SIMIAND NV Norbert VERNEAU DR David RINGLER TAAF Terres Australes et FL Frédéric LARREY Antarctiques Françaises FLe François LEPAGE TN Tanguy NICOLAS GH Gaetan HOARAU TP Thomas PESCHAK