Communities are working to protect their island and its wildlife – and responsible tourism can help too.
Gather sticks of driftwood on the shoreline, then place them along the beach into two lines like train tracks into the Indian Ocean. Congratulations, you’ve just built a highway for baby turtles. This corridor will direct them towards the water when they hatch from their nests and make their first fling for freedom.
Green and hawksbill turtles return time and again to the Mafia Archipelago to nest. They’re not the only wildlife thriving here. The archipelago, where Mafia Island is the largest island, is also home to resident whale sharks, gets visited by humpback whales in the autumn, and has Tanzania’s first marine park, filled with thriving coral reefs – over 270 species of coral, 400 species of fish, five species of sea turtle, and 12 species of sea grass have been recorded in the area.
The islands’ diverse habitats support a wide range of wildlife, including 130 bird species. Elusive hippos live in Mafia Island’s inland lagoons. Easier to see are the Comoros lesser fruit bats; this species is found only here and the Comoros Islands; Chole Island even has the world’s first dedicated fruit bat sanctuary.
Our trips whisk you here for the seductive ‘beach’ part of a
Tanzania safari and beach holiday. Swim, dive, kayak among the sheltering mangroves, or simply make like the fruit bats and hang out: this archipelago is kind of place where if you lose your luggage you have no problem. Life is barefoot and casual: you might spend time sailing to a dive site in a wooden dhow; Chole Bay, a protected harbour, has diving all year round. On the way back, stop at a sandbank that only emerges at low tide. Here, a barbecue is waiting: skewers of fish are stuck into the sand around a fire and left to blister, or fresh cashews roasted over the flames. Or simply sit on the beach and watch local life: at low tide, octopus fishers wade out into the shallows and egrets poke around in the seagrass beds.
“Mafia Island is famous for its relaxed atmosphere, beautiful marine life, and authentic local feel,” says Anne Nthigah, from our expert partner for Tanzania holidays, Long Way Expeditions. “It is part of the protected Mafia Island Marine Park, so the reefs and sea life are very well preserved.” In fact, there’s evidence that the coral in the park has been less affected by El Nino weather events than the surrounding area. This, plus the lack of industrial development, means an abundance of thriving sea life.
.jpg){kind=link}
