Cousine Island

Cousine Island

Cousine Island Location of Cousine Island in Seychelles
Geography
Location	Seychelles, Indian Ocean
Coordinates	4°21′48″S 55°38′48″E / 4.36333°S 55.64667°E / -4.36333; 55.64667Coordinates: 4°21′48″S 55°38′48″E / 4.36333°S 55.64667°E / -4.36333; 55.64667
Archipelago	Inner Islands, Seychelles
Adjacent bodies of water	Indian Ocean
Total islands	1
Major islands	Cousine
Area	0.3 km2 (0.12 sq mi)
Length	0.9 km (0.56 mi)
Width	0.4 km (0.25 mi)
Coastline	2.7 km (1.68 mi)
Highest elevation	76 m (249 ft)
Administration
Seychelles
Group	Inner Islands
Sub-Group	Granitic Seychelles
Sub-Group	Praslin Islands
Districts	Grand'Anse Praslin
Largest settlement	Cousine East (population 16)
Demographics
Demonym	Creole
Population	16 (2014)
Ethnic groups	Creole, French, East Africans, Indians.
Additional information
Time zone	SCT (UTC+4)
Official website	www.seychelles.travel/en/discover/the-islands/
ISO Code = SC-14

Cousine Island is a small granitic island 30 ha (74 acres) in the Seychelles 6 km (4 mi) west of Praslin Island. It is a combination luxury resort and since 1992 a nature preserve.

In 1992 the island was purchased and a conservation program was introduced to protect nesting sea turtles and maintain the existing populations of endemic land birds.

Cousine Island is a breeding ground for seabirds and has a population of transplanted Aldabra giant tortoises. The island has undergone an extensive vegetation rehabilitation program which involves planting of indigenous flora and the removal of alien plant species. Since 1995 over 2000 native trees have been planted.

Indo-Pacific hawksbill turtles are known to nest on this island.

The island has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area because it supports populations of the Seychelles warbler, magpie-robin and fody, as well as substantial breeding colonies of wedge-tailed shearwaters, white-tailed tropicbirds, lesser noddies and white terns.

In order to finance the restoration project a small exclusive bungalow resort was built on Cousine. The hotel manager, his family, and an ornithologist with his family, live in the staff quarters on the east beach. They are responsible for the restoration, maintenance and preservation of flora and fauna of the island. The current staff is 16 employees.

There are four beachfront French Colonial style villas (maximum number of guests allowed is 10) on the island. It is 30 hectares. As of 2012^[update], it is the world's third most expensive private island.