|
 Mauritius
will be the 86th Party to CMS as from 1 June 2004. The island
is located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. The
land has an area of almost 2000 square kilometres with 330
kilometres of coastline.
Mauritius is already Party to the following environment-related
treaties: the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD),
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
(UNCCD), the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the Convention
on International Trade in endangered species of Wild Fauna
and Flora (CITES).
Of high significance in the context of CMS is the fact,
that Mauritius has ratified the Agreement on the Conservation
of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird (AEWA). It has also
signed the Memorandum of Understanding concerning Conservation
Measures for Marine Turtles of the Indian Ocean and South-East
Asia (IOSEA).
The core of Mauritius is the main island from which the
country derives its name. Testifying Mauritius volcanic
origin there are numerous low lying coastal plains, which
rise to mountains of diverse shape. The uneven mountain
chain is located in a circle, providing for a central plateau
in the middle.
Mauritius is known for its warm, dry winters and its hot
and humid summers.
Six species, which are listed on the CMS Appendix I occur
in Mauritius, namely the Blue Whale, the Humpback whale
as well as the Green Turtle, the Loggerhead Turtle, the
Hawksbill Turtle and the Leatherback Turtle. CMS Appendix
II also covers all turtle species. The commitment of Mauritius
to conserve marine turtles is testified by the signing of
the IOSEA MoU. Four additional species are covered by CMS
Appendix II, namely the Whale shark, the Dugong, the Quail
and the Lesser crested tern.
At the meeting of the Seventh Conference of Parties (COP7)
a recommendation was made to develop a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) for the Dugong.
Discussions are under the way between Range States and the
CMS Secretariat about developing a CMS instrument for the
protection of Whale sharks.
|
