Mauritius Fauna

A day spent at the Casela Nature Park in the middle of Mauritius is an extraordinary experience.  The emphasis is on birds . . . they have over 600 species on display; but also there are a surprising number of mammals and reptiles. There are features in which you can walk alongside some (very tame) lions and tigers, go on a zip line from tree to tree, and ride Segways through the woods.   There's a restaurant in the park, and a hiking trail to a hilly overlook---from there you can see down a valley to the beach and the Indian Ocean.  Shelly and I have been there once, but we're itching to get back.  As you can see, it's a great place to capture photos of some beautiful animal friends.  Admittedly, not all of these creatures are native to this island, but many are from around the region, including Madagascar and India.  One bird you will NOT see is the poor Dodo bird, whose only known presence was in Mauritius, but who went extinct in the 1600s, after the arrival of humans. 

Dodo bird, known only in Mauritius
until extinction in the mid-17th century