Aride Island

Aride Island is the northernmost granitic island in the Seychelles and is 10km north of Praslin. It is 68 hectares in area and is a nature reserve. Aride is leased and managed by the Island Conservation Society of Seychelles. The only human inhabitants are the reserve's staff; currently four Seychellois rangers and two wardens. They live in small plantation houses on the south side of the island.

Over 1.25 million seabirds regularly breed on Aride including the world's largest colony of lesser noddy, the largest Seychelles population of roseate terns and the world's largest colony of Audubon's Shearwater. There is also an enormous roost of non-breeding frigatebirds. The Seychelles Warbler was introduced from Cousin Island to Aride in 1988 and its population is now the largest in the world with over 2,000 pairs. The Seychelles Fody was also introduced from Cousin in 2002, as well the Seychelles Magpie Robin from Fregate Island. The Seychelles Blue Pigeon and the Seychelles Sunbird have re-colonised Aride naturally.

Reptilian fauna includes several species of skink, three species of gecko and three species of non-poisonous snakes. Green turtles and Hawksbill turtles are regular visitors to the beaches of Aride.

Aride is the only place in the world where a flowering shrub named Wright's Gardenia "Rothmannia annae" is endemic.

External links

* [http://www.arideisland.net Aride Island - official Aride Island homepage]
* [http://www.helicopterseychelles.com/aride_photos2.html Aride Island photo gallery]