Wildlife of Réunion
Appearance
The wildlife of Réunion is composed of its flora, fauna and fungi. Being a small island, it only has nine native species of mammals, but ninety-one species of birds.
Fauna
Birds
Mammals
- Mauritian flying fox Pteropus niger VU
- Small Mauritian flying fox Pteropus subniger EX
- Lesser yellow bat Scotophilus borbonicus CR
- Natal free-tailed bat Mormopterus acetabulosus VU
- Mauritian tomb bat Taphozous mauritianus LC
- Southern right whale Eubalaena australis[1] LC (rarer in today's Réunion)
- Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae LC
- Sei whale Balaenoptera borealis EN
- Southern fin whale Balaenoptera physalus quoyi EN[1]
- Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus VU
- Dwarf sperm whale Kogia sima LR/lc
- Blainville's beaked whale Mesoplodon densirostris DD
- Gray's beaked whale Mesoplodon grayi DD
- Short-finned pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus DD
Those mammals not native to Réunion include the tailless tenrec, dog, cat, pig, goat, sheep, rat and cattle.
Reptiles
Geckos
Seven species of day geckos and four species of night geckos:
- Réunion Island day gecko, (Phelsuma borbonica borbonica), endemic
- Réunion Island ornate day gecko, (Phelsuma inexpectata), endemic
- Gold dust day gecko, (Phelsuma laticauda), introduced from Madagascar
- Lined day gecko (Phelsuma lineata), introduced from Madagascar
- Blue-tailed day gecko (Phelsuma cepediana), introduced from Mauritius around 1960[2]
- Indopacific tree gecko, (Hemiphyllodactylus typus), introduced
- Tropical house gecko, (Hemidactylus mabouia), introduced
- Common house gecko, (Hemidactylus frenatus), introduced
- Phelsuma madagascariensis, introduced from Madagascar in 1970 by a veterinarian[3]
- Pacific gecko, (Gehyra mutilata), introduced
Agamid lizards
- Oriental garden lizard, (Calotes versicolor), introduced
- Rainbow agama, (Agama agama), introduced around 1999/2000
Scincidae
- Bojer's skink, (Gongylomorphus bojerii), endemic to Mauritius (introduced)
- Mauritius skink, (Leiolopisma mauritiana) (extinct around 1600)
Chameleons
- Panther chameleon, (Furcifer pardalis), introduced from Madagascar
Snakes
Two introduced species;
- Brahminy blind snake, (Typhlops braminus)
- Indian wolf snake, (Lycodon aulicus), introduced from Mauritius around 1850
Turtles
Marine turtles
see also:[4]
- Green sea turtle, (Chelonia mydas)
- Hawksbill sea turtle, (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Loggerhead sea turtle, (Caretta caretta)
- Olive ridley sea turtle, (Lepidochelys olivacea)
- Leatherback sea turtle, (Dermochelys coriacea)
Land turtles
- Réunion giant tortoise, (Cylindraspis indica) (became extinct 1800)
- Radiated tortoise, (Astrochelys radiata), introduced from Madagascar
Molluscs
Fungi
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2013) |
See also
References
- ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 September 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Iledelareunion.net Reptiles - (in French)
- ^ [1] Phelsumas - (in French)
- ^ Kelonia.org - Marine Turtle Observatory
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (October 2010) |
- "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mammals of Réunion". IUCN. 2001. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
requires|archive-url=
(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - "Mammal Species of the World". Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. 2005. Archived from the original on 27 April 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
- "Animal Diversity Web". University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. 1995–2006. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
- Lepage, Denis. "Checklist of birds of Réunion". Bird Checklists of the World. Avibase. Retrieved 27 April 2007.
- Clements, James F. (2000). Birds of the World: a Checklist. Cornell University Press. p. 880. ISBN 0-934797-16-1.