Ile aux Aigrettes stands as a testament of the efforts made over the years by the Mauritian Wildlife Fund for the preservation of Mauritius' endemic fauna and flora. The natural reserve – situated about 800m from the mainland’s coastline – thrives in thick vegetation, typical of Mauritius' coastal areas. Visitors are accompanied by guides for 1 hour 30 minutes trail to better discover an ebony forest, which used to be home to the dodo, as well as a nursery of thousands young plants, the ruins of an ancient limekiln and a stunning view of the Mahebourg bay. More importantly, you are likely to come across members of the local fauna: the Mauritian gecko, the Pink Pigeon, the Telfair skink (still endangered today) and the giant Aldabra tortoise, which was introduced to replace Mauritius’ two endemic species of land tortoise, now officially extinct. If you are lucky, you might also catch a glimpse of the Mauritian Kestrel, saved from extinction and roaming free in the island’s forest.