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La Vanille Nature Park
Crocodile & Giant Tortoises Park
Vanilla Park
SENNEVILLE, Riviere des Anguilles
La Vanille Natural Park, previously known as La Vanille Crocodile Park, was established in 1985. The park is located in a valley, it covers an area of 5 hectares.
This magical place is home to nature and an animal sanctuary.
As a result of deforestation and hunting conducted in the local areas, the living species are on the verge of extinction.
Vanilla Park's mission is to preserve the diversity of plant and animal species.
Many of these species can only be saved through efforts to protect their habitats, provide them with conditions for sustainable development, for their later release, and breeding to reduce the need for wild animals. La Vanille Natural Park is involved in all three nature conservation areas.
Currently, there is a turtle reserve here, which provides shelter for approx. 3000 individuals.
Peaceful life of turtles ...
The park is home to the world's largest herd of Aldabra giant tortoises (aldabrachelys gigantea). It is the last living giant turtle species among those that once inhabited several islands in the Indian Ocean.
They live in semi-freedom, have an enormous unlimited space to move around.
The oldest representative of the herd is 106 years old and weighs 275 kg.
Giant turtle eggs are about the size of a tennis ball and are buried in moist sand or loose soil. When hatching, babies are about 7.5 cm long.
Turtles are grouped in this type of boxes - here are 2-year-olds
It takes about 20 years to reach breeding size
Aldabra tortoises are strict vegetarians. They feed on leaves, fruits and vegetables.
They lack teeth, but their jaws are lined with sharp ridges that connect like a pair of toothed scissors. They are used for grinding leaves and vegetables.
Care must be taken when feeding, a large turtle can easily bite off a finger.
Female turtles are generally much larger than males of the same species.
Since they are tortoises, they do not need to spend time in the water. In fact, they don't even need to drink water for a long time - most of the water they need is found in their food.
Most of the turtles live in special terrariums, for protection reasons they are isolated in age groups. They are provided with ideal conditions for growth and then released into the wild in order to restore the population naturally.
All turtles in the reserve were born in captivity.
Nile crocodile - crocodylus niloticus
The Nile crocodile is the largest crocodile living in Africa and Madagascar. The length is estimated at 7 m, but the largest living in the park is 5 m and 20 cm, and the female is 3 m and 50 cm. In the first year, they grow up to 80 cm, after which the growth rate slows down.
Life expectancy is between 60 and 100 years.
An adult crocodile eats about 120 kg of meat per year and weighs up to 500 kg.
Feeding the Nile Crocodiles - original sound :-)
Most of the adult crocodile's diet comes from fish, although they also eat large mammals such as zebra, antelope, and giraffe, and other unfortunate creatures found near the water's edge, including occasional humans and other crocodiles. They are strong swimmers and can stay under water for up to half an hour. The crocodiles in the reserve are from a population originally imported from Madagascar in 1985. Today, around 1,500 individuals live in La Vanille Nature Park at various stages of growth.
The crocodile opens its jaws to cool the body down
Curiosity ?
The gender of the crocodile chicks depends on the temperature at which the eggs incubate. At temperatures of 30ºC or less, they will be mostly female; at 31ºC they will be mixed; at 32ºC they will be mostly males.
Large crocodiles swallow stones known as gastrolytes. They act as ballast, helping them balance the body under water.
For a change, we also met the Alligator
Dodo - flightless from Mauritius
Next to the crocodile enclosure, there is a room dedicated to the world famous Dodo bird.
The Dodo is a symbol of Mauritius, it is found on most postcards and stamps from the island.
Dodo in all its glory ...
Next to it is the history of the Dodo bird which was exterminated by the Portuguese in 1662.
What time to visit?
The best time to visit the park is before 10 o'clock - at every hour on the hour a guide will be waiting at the entrance to take you around the park, discussing all species in detail, and are happy to answer any questions.
At the entrance, we meet a mechanical recycled turtle
and a recycled crocodile :-)
At 10:30 am you will meet Octar, a very friendly Iguana
We end the tour at 11am at the Nile crocodile paddock - it's time to feed them.
At noon, when the heat is unbearable, we go to the botanical garden
Giant bamboos, palm trees and exotic plants dominate here.
The walk will be an unforgettable memory.
Lianas, they are very durable - I checked :-)
Tarzan didn't have an easy life :-)))
Here reigns green!
The youngest will also find something for themselves
In Vanilla Park we will also meet iguanas, monkeys, lemurs, deer, Japanese carp, fruit bats from Mauritius, Radiata turtles, freshwater turtles, geckos, chameleons and more.
Visitors of all ages will enjoy a visit to the park. Although she made the greatest impression on the children.
More information about Mauritius can be found in the tab at the top of the page.
Traveller & Blogger
www.vanillapepper-adventures.com
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