UPDATE: 16th September 2020

On 15th September the reptiles, rescued from the southeast islands of Mauritius, arrived safely at Jersey Zoo and they are now receiving expert care from leading herpetologists.

Thanks to your generous support this safety net population will form a breeding programme from which the animals, their offspring or future generations can eventually be released back into the wild.

Moving the reptiles to Jersey is a lifeline in establishing assurance populations of these animals and their unique genes away from the disaster zone until the long-term impacts of the oil spill are fully understood.

At present we cannot know how long we will need to care for these precious reptiles but your continued support will ensure they receive the very best care until it is safe to return them to Mauritius.

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The oil spill off the coast of Mauritius is an environmental catastrophe, devastating half a century of conservation work and pushing already threatened species even closer to the brink of extinction.

The MV Wakashio freighter ran aground two kilometres from the island nature reserve, Ile aux Aigrettes, which is home to many unique species of plant, bird and reptile. This offshore island, along with several others, forms part of Durrell's long-standing Island Restoration Programme in Mauritius. These unique and delicate ecosystems are home to some of the worlds rarest species, many of which are found nowhere else on Earth.

As the toxic oil laps the shores of these islets, our reptile team, alongside the Government of Mauritius and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, is working around the clock to protect populations of lesser night geckos, Bojer's skinks and Bouton's skinks.

With your help, we can establish assurance populations of these precious Mauritian reptiles away from the disaster zone to ensure that vital parts of these island ecosystems are not lost forever. Conservationists are working tirelessly to rescue and temporarily home these species in a biosecure facility.

Isolated from mainland Mauritius, these unique island environments are hugely vulnerable to threats such as cyclones, droughts and invasive species. Still, nothing can prepare for the instant devastation caused by 760 tonnes of oil. It could take decades for wildlife to recover from this tragedy.

We need to act now before it is too late.

You can help rescue threatened Mauritian wildlife and ensure the protection of these precious offshore islands.