François Leguat Giant Tortoise And Cave Reserve
François Leguat Giant Tortoise and Cave Reserve ("Francois Leguat Reserve") is a park and nature reserve on the island of Rodrigues, dedicated to protecting the fauna and flora of the island. The reserve first opened in August 2007, part of the same project as La Vanille Reserve in Mauritius. It is named after the 18th century Huguenot settler François Leguat, who recorded much of the island's natural flora and fauna before it went extinct. The reserve includes a museum, several education centres and information areas, and a restaurant. Description The fauna Rodrigues was once home to two unique and Endemism, endemic species of giant tortoise: the tall-standing, long-necked, saddle-backed ''Cylindraspis vosmaeri'' that browsed the trees and bushes; and the smaller, low, dome-shelled ''Cylindraspis peltastes'' that grazed grasses and ground vegetation. At the time of the arrival of human settlers, dense tortoise herds of many thousands were reported on Rodrigues. Typically f ...
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