Beneficial insulation
Reunion's flora is much more endemic than its fauna, which is quite limited. Living in a vacuum for millions of years, the island has developed a unique flora, to which has been added the diversity of imported flora: flowers, fruit, vegetables, spices, perfume plants... from all over the world, to the extent that some regions are veritable botanical gardens. The original flora includes some 550 species of flowering plants, 160 of which are endemic. Everywhere, colors explode and scents fill the air, especially in the wild south and east, where cascades of multicolored flowers cascade down the cliffs. The fern forests of the Hauts, adorned in all shades of green and shrouded in fog, conjure up mysticism, while the abundance of exotic fruit orchards, coconut palms and filaos watching over the lagoon's ripples incite voluptuousness... A little clue to the origin of a tree: in everyday language, the Reunionnese use "bois de" to designate an endemic species and "pied de" for an exotic one.
Flowers for all tastes
As in all tropical islands, flowers are part of everyday life, embellishing gardens and public squares. Hibiscus, which can take on a variety of colors, and frangipani, with their white and yellow flowers scattered across the ground, need no introduction. The flamboyant, seen on many postcards, blooms in early summer and cheerfully announces Christmas with hundreds of tiny, bright-red flowers. There are many varieties of orchid, including the vanilla, which we have placed below with the perfume plants. There are also bougainvilleas, jacarandas, grevilleas..
The forests of the Hauts
The higher you climb, the further back in time you go. Over the millennia, nature on Réunion Island has developed extremely rare species of colored wood and tree ferns. In the forests of Bébour and Bélouve and in the cirques, these damp, misty forests grow at nature's incredibly slow pace, and have not changed since the arrival of man. Knowing that a redwood tree grows for several centuries, you can imagine the indescribable tangle of vines, branches and roots it forms, all topped by an opaque canopy of vegetation. This slow-growing jungle is more resistant to cyclones. The ironwood is the most mythical tree: reaching 15 to 20 m, its wood was perfect for building frameworks, as it is extremely strong, hence its name.
The seaside
Two species are ubiquitous along the seashore: filaos (pronounced "filao") and vacoa. Introduced to the island in the 18th century, filaos is a massive thorny tree planted for its wood. Today, it's mostly found on the beach, where you can enjoy its life-saving shade and admire its roots, which have been exposed by erosion. The vacoa (French for mangrove) is found on the rocky coasts of the wild south, near Saint-Philippe. It can be recognized by its aerial roots and long, thick green leaves. Its leaves are used to make baskets, hats and backpacks (the famous bertels), while its roots are drunk as a tea to treat rheumatism. The bread is eaten as a salad, while the heart (vacoa cabbage) is eaten as a curry. Last but not least, there's the coconut tree. On Reunion Island, its palms are used for weaving, its pulp is used to make punch (a delicious treat) and the halved nut is an offering during Tamil religious rituals.
A natural pantry
Thanks to international transport, you're probably familiar with bananas, mangoes and papayas... But do you really know banana, mango and papaya trees? For a start, if you want shade, it's better to go under a mango tree than a papaya; as for the banana tree, did you know that it's not just the bananas that are eaten, but also the final, purple bud, called baba-figue? There are also zattes, zevys, jujubes, breadfruit, carambola, letchis, vavangues, peaches growing in the cirques, songe, chouchous from Salazie, lentils from Cilaos, tomatoes and carrots. On this land blessed by the gods, everything grows! A trip to the markets is the best way to discover these fruits and vegetables, often unknown on our shelves. Réunion is also home to many plants with highly sought-after fragrances. The geranium is very present in the Hauts de Saint-Paul, on the Maïdo road. It was introduced from South Africa around 1870. To obtain 1 kg of geranium essence, 300 kg of plants need to be distilled. In 1960, Réunion was the world's leading producer of geranium essence. But the market was unstable, and most producers turned to sugar cane. Vetiver grows at altitudes of between 300 m and 700 m in the south-east of the island. The essence of vetiver is secreted by its hairy roots, which grow up to 40 cm underground. Its essence is used in perfumery and pharmacopoeia, while the grass itself was also used for roofing huts or weaving capelines and baskets.
Herbal teas
Although the number of herbal tea drinkers has fallen drastically over the past twenty years, the consumption of herbal teas remains an almost daily practice, and one that is very much in vogue in Réunion. There are the classic herbal teas, those for a good night's sleep or for digestion, but there are also herbal teas for headaches, muscular pains, blood pressure, diabetes, infections and many others. Here, plants are mastered and blended according to the desired result. Locals often try to cure themselves using traditional methods, before turning to a doctor.
Species that are now extinct
Although the island was devoid of any indigenous population when it was discovered, the accounts of French, English and Dutch sailors have revealed the existence of animal species that are now extinct. Among them, the star is of course the dodo or dodo bird. This large, ungainly, flightless bird is thought to have disappeared in the early 1700s, a victim not only of human activity but also of attacks on its eggs by dogs and rats. Bones have been found in Mauritius, but not yet in Réunion. Other imposing species were present on the west coast, such as egrets, the Madagascar pink flamingo and the ibis, as well as the land tortoise found in the Seychelles and Mauritius, and the large eels that inhabited the rivers. This diverse fauna was gradually decimated by the passengers on the ships that stopped over, but also by the diseases, rodents and stowaway insects they carried with them. As for the flora, the cultivation of the lowlands and mid-slopes, and the development of residential areas in the lowlands, have considerably altered the landscape, replacing the benzoin and latan forests with exotic species.
An exceptional marine fauna
Islands are synonymous with snorkeling! Reunion Island is no exception, encircled by the Indian Ocean, and has the advantage of two very distinct marine environments: the open, very deep ocean (up to 4,000 m) and the lagoon environment along the west coast, bordered by the coral reef. Access to the open ocean has been highly regulated since the beginning of the shark crisis: you can only get into the water in the company of licensed tour operators, who will take you out to meet dolphins and whales, or on a diving trip, ideal for spotting barracudas, triggerfish and turtles. The open sea is also the domain of big-game fishing, with the presence of predatory species such as marlin, tuna, dolphinfish and swordfish, which we are delighted to find on our plates. On the lagoon side, the fish are, to our great delight, colorful, incongruously shaped, numerous and, above all, shy. Inside the lagoon, the main animal is, of course, coral! It's the skeleton of the small animal that, over the years, compacts to form the coral reefs. Like fish, coral comes in many shapes and colors, a feast for the eyes.
The protection of marine turtles
On Reunion Island, the turtle is represented by Kélonia. This regional museum at the entrance to Saint-Leu is now one of the few places where you can still see turtles, apart from diving trips and, if you're extremely lucky, the lagoon at sunset. As a home for injured turtles, Kélonia has sounded the alarm: the turtles are gradually disappearing. While we are now well aware of the problems they face at sea (poaching, ingestion of large quantities of plastic, accidents in fishing nets), we are less familiar with their problems on land. Although they are marine, green and hawksbill turtles lay their eggs on beaches. Egg-laying and the emergence of babies are long and perilous operations. On Reunion Island, however, beach space is in fierce competition with the presence of humans, who have appropriated these areas day and night, depriving them of their privacy and, consequently, their ability to multiply. Thanks to the efforts of Kélonia, cared-for turtles are now released each year to return to the open sea, and a few unnamed beaches are reserved and monitored for egg-laying.
Discreet land wildlife
Most of the terrestrial species found on Reunion Island have been brought here for hunting: tanagers, Java deer, hares, quail, partridges, goats... They are therefore very discreet and it is not very common to see them. What's more, since most of them have no natural predators other than man, and live on a small territory, they have chosen to develop the art of camouflage rather than imposing size and fangs. The prize for the cutest and easiest to observe, depending on the time of year, remains the tanager. Imported from Madagascar, this little animal seems to be a cross between a hedgehog for the body and a shrew for the head, with a marcassin color for the babies. Hibernating during the austral winter, the tanager shows its nose when the heat returns, and you can admire it, sometimes a little muddy after a long nap, on hiking trails. The mother is often followed by a dozen or so young, who scatter at the slightest noise, as they are hunted for a good part of the year (and poached on the other). Yes, tradition dictates that this little ball of prickles also ends up as a curry. Its very strong meat is said to be very tasty, provided you dare to eat it, of course.
Birds to protect
Birds are very popular on the island, and a great deal is being done to protect them. Often small in size, not needing large wings to cover a small territory, they have three omnipresent predators: rats, which eat their eggs, feral cats and man. A flagship operation is carried out every year for a month from mid-April: Nights Without Lights. Most towns turn off their public lighting to help young Barau's petrels and black petrels, endemic to Réunion Island, to leave their nests and head out to sea, unaffected by urban light pollution. Among the most spectacular is the paille-en-queue, the island's emblem and found throughout the Indian Ocean. Its long white tail makes it easy to spot, and it nests most of the time in the cliffs along the coast. The island's only bird of prey, the papangue is an endemic bird. Although it has disappeared from Mauritius, there are still around 200 pairs on Réunion. The ram is a noisy little yellow bird that weaves straw nests hanging from tree branches, a true architectural marvel, but don't park your car under it. The cardinal wears a beautiful red tunic. Finally, the tuit-tuit is the most endangered of all, with only a few pairs left on the Roche Écrite massif, in the Chicots and Affouches plains.
