Amazing Animals Mauritius

Mauritius is a small African island country in the southeastern part of the continent, east of Madagascar. This is one of the smallest African countries. There are many interesting animals on the land and around the coastline.

Javan rusas are also referred to as Sunda sambars. This is a species of deer that are active during the early mornings and late afternoons. Their diet consists of grasses, fruit, and leaves. These deer are very sociable and keep in groups.

Mauritius flying foxes are one of the two fruit bats remaining in the country. This species of megabats is endemic to the islands of Mauritius and La Reunion. They have a very wide wingspan to be able to glide easily through the air.

Mauritius ornate day geckos are a species of geckos that are endemic to Mauritius and the surrounding islands. The geckos are colorful, diurnal reptiles and among the smallest day geckos. They can be seen in bushes and trees in coastal areas. These geckos enjoy feeding on nectar and insects.

Mauritius tomb bats can be found in much of sub-Saharan Africa. These bats are nocturnal hunters. They feed on butterflies, termites, and moths. Their name comes from the country where they were discovered, and they have been commonly seen on the walls of old tombs.

Round Island boas are a species of non-venomous snakes endemic to Round Island, one of Mauritius's islands. The island is uninhabited.

Small Indian mongooses are a small species of mongoose native to northern South Asia and Iraq and have been introduced in other countries around the world, particularly islands like Mauritius. They are considered an invasive species, feeding on domestic poultry, resident and migratory birds, and insects.

Birds

Mauritius fodies (see above) have bright, red plumage. They are beautiful forest-dwelling songbirds that are endangered.

Mauritius kestrels are raptor birds. They are small with creamy white chests and black blotches. Less than 1,000 of these birds remain in the wild.

Mauritius olive white-eyes are the rarest and smallest songbirds on the island. They are characterized by an olive-green plumage with a pale-yellow hue on the belly. There are fewer than 150 individuals in the wild.

Pink pigeons, or Pigeon des Mares, are medium-sized birds with pale pink bodies, brown wings, and rusty brown tails. They are critically endangered.

Aquatic Animals

Dugongs are marine mammals found around the Mauritius coast. They belong to the same mammal family as several species of manatees.

Masked bobbies have snowy white plumages, black flight feathers, and a kind of blackish mask near their bills. They are large seabirds nesting in colonies. They plunge for fish and squid.

Orcas are also known as killer whales. They are a large species of oceanic dolphins with black and white bodies. These whales are an important part of mythology, where they are considered to be merciless killers or the embodiment of the souls of humans. Orcas feed on seals, dolphins, and fish.

Pantropical spotted dolphins are wonderfully acrobatic. They are native to the temperate and tropical oceans around the world and can be seen off the coast of Mauritius. These marine mammals are one of the most abundant species of dolphins on Earth.

Southern elephant seals are a large species of seals. They are the largest pinnipeds and carnivores on Earth. They live in the southernmost parts of the world and along the coastline of Mauritius.

Sperm whales are among the largest animals you’ll find off the Mauritius coast in the Indian Ocean. These are the third-deepest-diving mammals and have the largest brains on Earth. They are also the largest toothed predators in the world.