Cosmoledo

Cosmoledo is uninhabited and very rarely visited by the outside world. It is home to spectacular seabird colonies of global significance, and the marine life is also very rich; the corals have survived intact here more than elsewhere in the western Indian Ocean. Many turtles can be seen, including very young ones, in the shallow waters of the lagoon. Cosmoledo has also gained a reputation as one of the world's best fly-fishing sites, but is off limits to all but a few determined enthusiasts because of the difficulties of reaching this lonely outpost. Aldabra Expeditions offer the chance for you to visit this remote wilderness and dive and snorkel the surrounding waters.

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Birds

Cosmoledo is recognised by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area. Seabirds include globally significant populations of Masked Booby and Red-footed Booby, and the populations of Sooty Tern are the largest in Seychelles. There are five species of land bird: Souimanga Sunbird, Madagascar Turtle Dove, Madagascar White-eye and Madagascar Cisticola and Pied Crow, the first three being endemic races. There are also significant numbers of tropicbirds, frigatebirds, terns and herons. The lagoon dries extensively at low tide and is an important feeding ground for migratory waders, including Crab Plover.

Reptiles

Green Turtles nest at Cosmoledo in reasonably large numbers. Many young turtles can be seen in shallow waters close to the main island of Menai.  We will see many adults, both on the outer edges of the reef and as we traverse the lagoon.  Lizards include Bouton’s snake-eyed skink, a small skinny skink that has the remarkable habit of feeding in the inter-tidal zone and in rock pools. Madagascar banded lizards are found here and nowhere else in Seychelles.

Marine Life

The reefs of Cosmoledo are spectacular and offer some of the best diving in Seychelles. The channels lack the dramatic underwater topography of those at Aldabra, but the coral reefs surrounding the atoll are truly remarkable, particularly on the sheltered northwestern coast.

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