The wildlife of

Réunion Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...

is composed of its

flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. E ...

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zoo ...

and

funga In life sciences ''funga'' is a recent term for the kingdom fungi similar to the longstanding fauna for animals and flora for plants. The term was considered to be urgently needed in order to simplify projects oriented toward implementation of edu ...

. Being a small island, it only has nine native species of mammals, but ninety-one species of birds.

Fauna

Birds

Mammals

Mauritian flying fox The Mauritian flying fox (''Pteropus niger''), also known as Greater Mascarene flying fox or Mauritius fruit bat is a large megabat species endemic to Mauritius and La Réunion. Description The Mauritian flying fox can reach a wingspan of 80&nb ...

, ''Pteropus niger'' VU *

Small Mauritian flying fox The small Mauritian flying fox or dark flying fox (''Pteropus subniger''), known as a ''rougette'' to early French travelers, is an extinct species of megabat. It lived on the islands of Réunion and Mauritius in the Mascarene Islands of the Indi ...

, ''Pteropus subniger'' EX * Lesser yellow bat, ''Scotophilus borbonicus'' CR *

Natal free-tailed bat The Natal free-tailed bat (''Mormopterus acetabulosus'') is a species of bat in the family Molossidae, the free-tailed bats. It is endemic to the island of Mauritius. It is known from fewer than five locations in its range, but it is common at a ...

, ''Mormopterus acetabulosus'' VU *

Mauritian tomb bat The Mauritian tomb bat (''Taphozous mauritianus'') is a species of sac-winged bat in the family Emballonuridae that is found in central and southern Africa and Madagascar. It was discovered in 1818 by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, and is chara ...

, ''Taphozous mauritianus'' LC *

Southern right whale The southern right whale (''Eubalaena australis'') is a baleen whale, one of three species classified as right whales belonging to the genus ''Eubalaena''. Southern right whales inhabit oceans south of the Equator, between the latitudes of 20 ...

, ''Eubalaena australis'' LC, rarer in today's Réunion *

Humpback whale The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh up to . The hump ...

, ''Megaptera novaeangliae'' LC *

Sei whale The sei whale ( , ; ''Balaenoptera borealis'') is a baleen whale, the third-largest rorqual after the blue whale and the fin whale. It inhabits most oceans and adjoining seas, and prefers deep offshore waters. It avoids polar and tropical ...

, ''Balaenoptera borealis'' EN *

Southern fin whale The southern fin whale (''Balaenoptera physalus quoyi'') is a subspecies of fin whale that lives in the Southern Ocean. At least one other subspecies of fin whale, the northern fin whale (''B. p. physalus''), exists in the northern hemisphere. ...

, ''Balaenoptera physalus quoyi'' EN *

Sperm whale The sperm whale or cachalot (''Physeter macrocephalus'') is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of the genus ''Physeter'' and one of three extant species in the sperm whale famil ...

, ''Physeter macrocephalus'' VU *

Dwarf sperm whale The dwarf sperm whale (''Kogia sima'') is a sperm whale that inhabits temperate and tropical oceans worldwide, in particular continental shelves and slopes. It was first described by biologist Richard Owen in 1866, based on illustrations by n ...

, ''Kogia sima'' LR/lc *

Blainville's beaked whale Blainville's beaked whale (''Mesoplodon densirostris''), or the dense-beaked whale, is believed to be the widest ranging mesoplodont whale. The French zoologist Henri de Blainville first described the species in 1817 from a small piece of jaw � ...

, ''Mesoplodon densirostris'' DD *

Gray's beaked whale Gray's beaked whale (''Mesoplodon grayi''), sometimes known as Haast's beaked whale, the scamperdown whale, or the southern beaked whale, is one of the better-known members of the genus ''Mesoplodon''. This species is fairly gregarious and strand ...

, ''Mesoplodon grayi'' DD *

Short-finned pilot whale The short-finned pilot whale (''Globicephala macrorhynchus'') is one of the two species of cetaceans in the genus ''Pilot whale, Globicephala'', which it shares with the long-finned pilot whale (''G. melas''). It is part of the oceanic dolphin ...

, ''Globicephala macrorhynchus'' DD Those mammals not native to Réunion include the

tailless tenrec The tailless tenrec (''Tenrec ecaudatus''), also known as the common tenrec, is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is the only member of the genus ''Tenrec''. Native to Madagascar, it is also found in the Comoros, Mauritius, Réun ...

, 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 The gold dust day gecko (''Phelsuma laticauda'') is a diurnal species of gecko. It lives in northern Madagascar, Tanzania (Dar Es Salaam) and on the island of Comoros; it has also been introduced to Hawaii and other Pacific islands. It's typic ...

, ''Phelsuma laticauda'', introduced from Madagascar * Lined day gecko, '' Phelsuma lineata'', introduced from Madagascar *

Blue-tailed day gecko The blue-tailed day gecko (''Phelsuma cepediana'') is a diurnal species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to the island Mauritius. It typically inhabits warm and humid places and dwells on different trees and ...

, ''Phelsuma cepediana'', introduced from Mauritius around 1960 * Indopacific tree gecko, ''

Hemiphyllodactylus typus ''Hemiphyllodactylus typus'', also known as the Indopacific tree gecko, Indopacific slender gecko, or common dwarf gecko, is a species of gecko found in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, and some islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans ...

'', introduced *

Tropical house gecko The tropical house gecko, Afro-American house gecko or cosmopolitan house gecko (''Hemidactylus mabouia'') is a species of house gecko native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is also currently found in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean ...

, ''Hemidactylus mabouia'', introduced *

Common house gecko The common house gecko (''Hemidactylus frenatus'') is a gecko native to South and Southeast Asia. It is also known as the Asian house gecko, Pacific house gecko, wall gecko, house lizard, tayoto, chipkali or moon lizard. Most geckos are nocturn ...

, ''Hemidactylus frenatus'', introduced * ''

Phelsuma madagascariensis ''Phelsuma madagascariensis'' is a species of day gecko that lives in Madagascar. It is among the most widespread day geckos and is found in a wide range of habitats.Glaw, F. and Vences, M. (2007). ''A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles o ...

'', introduced from Madagascar in 1970 by a veterinarian * Pacific gecko, ''

Gehyra mutilata ''Gehyra mutilata'', also known commonly as the common four-clawed gecko, Pacific gecko, stump-toed gecko, sugar gecko in Indonesia, tender-skinned house gecko, and ''butiki'' in Filipino, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The sp ...

'', introduced

Agamid lizards

Oriental garden lizard The oriental garden lizard (''Calotes versicolor''), also called the eastern garden lizard, Indian garden lizard, common garden lizard, bloodsucker or changeable lizard, is an agamid lizard found widely distributed in indo-Malaya. It has also bee ...

, ''Calotes versicolor'', introduced * Rainbow agama, ''

Agama agama The common agama, red-headed rock agama or rainbow agama (''Agama agama'') is a species of lizard from the family Agamidae found in most of sub-Saharan Africa. To clear up historical confusion based on Linnaeus and other authors, Wagner, et al ...

'', introduced around 1999/2000

Scincidae

Bojer's skink Bojer's skink (''Gongylomorphus bojerii'', formerly ''Scelotes bojeri)'' is a small species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Mauritius including some of its offshore islands. Etymology Both the specific nam ...

, ''Gongylomorphus bojerii'', endemic to Mauritius introduced * Mauritius skink, ''

Leiolopisma mauritiana ''Leiolopisma mauritiana'' is a large (the largest known), extinct species of skink (family Scincidae). It was found only in Mauritius, but became extinct around 1600 probably due to introduced predators. It may have been somewhat fossorial i ...

'', extinct around 1600

Chameleons

Panther chameleon The panther chameleon (''Furcifer pardalis'') is a species of chameleon found in the eastern and northern parts of Madagascar in a tropical forest biome. Additionally, it has been Introduced species, introduced to Réunion and Mauritius. Taxono ...

, ''Furcifer pardalis'', introduced from Madagascar

Snakes

Two introduced species; * Brahminy blind snake, '' Typhlops braminus'' * Indian wolf snake, ''

Lycodon aulicus ''Lycodon aulicus'', commonly known as the Indian wolf snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake found in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Early naturalists have suggested its resemblance to the venomous Common Krait, common krait as an instance of ...

'', introduced from Mauritius around 1850

Turtles

= Marine turtles

= see also:''Kelonia.org'' - Marine Turtle Observatory
/ref> *

Green sea turtle The green sea turtle (''Chelonia mydas''), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Chelonia''. Its range exten ...

, ''Chelonia mydas'' *

Hawksbill sea turtle The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution, that is largel ...

, ''Eretmochelys imbricata'' *

Loggerhead sea turtle The loggerhead sea turtle (''Caretta caretta'') is a species of oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around in carapace length when fully ...

, ''Caretta caretta'' *

Olive ridley sea turtle The olive ridley sea turtle (''Lepidochelys olivacea''), also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in th ...

, ''Lepidochelys olivacea'' *

Leatherback sea turtle The leatherback sea turtle (''Dermochelys coriacea''), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to and weights ...

, ''Dermochelys coriacea''

= Land turtles

= *

Réunion giant tortoise The Reunion giant tortoise (''Cylindraspis indica'') is an extinct species of giant tortoise in the family Testudinidae. It was endemic to Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean. This giant tortoise was numerous in the 17th and early 18th centur ...

, ''Cylindraspis indica'', became extinct 1800 *

Radiated tortoise The radiated tortoise (''Astrochelys radiata'') is a tortoise species in the family Testudinidae. Although this species is native to and most abundant in southern Madagascar, it can also be found in the rest of this island, and has been intro ...

, ''Astrochelys radiata'', introduced from Madagascar

Molluscs

Fungi

References

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wildlife of Reunion

Reunion Reunion may refer to: * Class reunion * Family reunion Reunion, Réunion, Re-union, Reunions or The Reunion may also refer to: Places * Réunion, a French overseas department and island in the Indian Ocean * Reunion, Commerce City, Colorado, U ...

Biota of Réunion