Cousin Island

Cousin, one of the smaller granitic islands and an island for the birds.  A large sign with hand carved lettering proclaims, "This island belongs to the birds.  You are their guests.  Please do not disturb them."  Cousin was purchased in 1968 by the International Council for Bird Preservation.  Guided tours for groups limited to 20 people are conducted on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.  Some land birds are found nowhere else in the world but here, such as the endangered bush warbler, the Seychelles fody and turtle dove, the wedge-tailed shearwater and thousands of other nesting seabirds such as puffins and tropic-birds (phaetons).  Contact your hotel tour desk or a local travel agent for reservations.  The round-trip boat fare from Praslin is subject to change.  A packed lunch is available at reasonable cost.  The excursion from Mahe, including round-trip air-fare to Praslin and the boat trip to Cousin, costs around US $100.