Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
brown bird and turns black and white as it grows older. It is Réunion's only surviving bird
of prey and may be spotted soaring over the ravines.
The best-known sea bird is the white
paille-en-queue
, or white-tailed tropicbird, which
sports two long tail plumes.
Mynahs, introduced at the end of the 18th century to keep the grasshoppers under con-
trol, are common all over the island, as are the small, red cardinal-like birds known as fod-
ies.
The best spots to see birdlife are the Forêt de Bébour-Bélouve above Hell-Bourg, and
the wilderness region of Le Grand Brûlé at the southern tip of the island.
PLANTS
Thanks to an abundant rainfall and marked differences in altitude, Réunion boasts some of
the most varied plant life in the world. Parts of the island are like a grand botanical
garden. Between the coast and the alpine peaks you'll find palms, screw pines (also
known as pandanus or
vacoa
), casuarinas
(filaos),
vanilla, spices, other tropical fruit and
vegetable crops, rainforest and alpine flora.
Réunion has no less than 700 indigenous plant species, 150 of which are trees. Unlike
Mauritius, large areas of natural forest still remain. It's estimated that 30% of the island is
covered by native forest.
Gnarled and twisted and sporting yellow, mimosa-like flowers, the
tamarin des Hauts
or mountain tamarind tree
,
is a type of acacia and is endemic to Réunion. One of the best
places to see these ancient trees is in the Forêt de Bébour-Bélouve, east of the Cirque de
Salazie.
At the other extreme, the lava fields around the volcano exhibit a barren, moonlike sur-
face. Here the various stages of vegetation growth, from a bare new lava base, are evident.
The first plant to appear on lava is the heather-like plant the French call
branle vert (Phil-
ippia montana)
. Much later in the growth cycle come tamarind and other acacia trees.
Afforestation has been carried out mainly with the Japanese cryptomeria,
tamarin des
Hauts,
casuarina and various palms.
Like any tropical island, Réunion has a wealth of flowering species, including orchid,
hibiscus, bougainvillea, vetiver, geranium, frangipani and jacaranda.
