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The
Nature on Frégate Island
The island is
named after a bird (the Frégate bird, famous for its
six-foot wingspan, which can still be seen feeding off the
island’s coast) so it's fitting that it has become the
last refuge of one of the world’s rarest birds. The magpie
robin was driven to the edge of extinction because its
beautiful song made it a popular cage bird and it lost its
natural habitat to encroaching coconut plantations. Today it
is still scarce but a recovery program has helped the number
of magpie robins on Frégate climb to more than 85, half of
the worldwide population. Other distinctive birds on the
island include the blue pigeon, sunbird, and fairy and sooty
terns. The population of the endangered white-eye bird
increased from 31 to over 100.
Popular
inhabitants of Frégate also include the giant tortoise, the
green turtle and the smaller hawksbill turtle. There’s
even a beetle, the tenebrionid beetle, that's found nowhere
else in the world.
While the
fauna is delightful, the flora is luxurious. There are
beautiful banyan and sandragon trees, and stately coco de
mer palms. Produce grown on Frégate includes cashews,
coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, mango, oranges and bananas. The
gardens of Frégate supply the hotel's kitchens and Spa with most of
its fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.
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