beams and minimalist furnishings, reflecting our values of simplicity, authenticity and immersion in nature. Bird Island offers restful, discreet accommodation that is well integrated into its environment; it is not a hotel like any other, nor do we want it to be." Between June and August, the Seychellois look forward to get "disef zwazo” From March onwards, tens of thousands of sooty terns gather on Bird Island, reaching one and a half million individuals in June, when they lay their eggs. You have to see and hear this unbelievable spectacle to understand what the world must have been like before man, the natu- ral abundance of life. Here you are in the home of the birds and they will not fail to let you know if you do not respect their territories! The Seychellois are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the sooty tern eggs "disef zwazo" as they say in Creole. They are rightly considered delicious and were once an impor- tant, naturally available food supplement. As demand exploded, there was a risk to the bird colonies. The collec- tion, which is intended to be sustainable, is now strictly regulated by the authorities and monitored by scientists: the sooty tern egg has thus become a luxury product, which can be discovered on Bird Island in season. It is also
an opportunity to better understand how species conser- vation and human harvesting can be successfully reconci- led. The other highlight of a stay on Bird Island is the obser- vation of marine turtles: they are fully protected and the Bird conservation team does a remarkable job of obser- ving, counting and tagging them, with egg-laying season running from October to February. There is a lot more to say... seven kilometres of amazing white sandy beaches... and therefore no swimming pool! No air-conditioning, no telephone, no television in the rooms... why bother? But there is an air-conditioned work area for those who want it, and WIFI... a necessary compromise, isn't it, for taking selfies with the terns! www.birdislandseychelles.com
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