Editing Rodrigues (section)

===Biodiversity===
[[File:Rodriguesrohrsänger.jpg|thumb|right|An endemic bird species, the Rodrigues warbler (''[[Acrocephalus rodericanus]]'') in the Grande Montagne area, Rodrigues]]

Rodrigues was characterised by endemic plant and animal species in abundance, but since the seventeenth century much of its biodiversity has been eradicated. The island was home to two now-extinct endemic giant tortoises, a [[Domed Rodrigues giant tortoise|domed species]] (''Cylindraspis peltastes''), and a [[Saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise|saddle-backed species]] (''C. vosmaeri''), and such birds as the [[Rodrigues solitaire]] (''Pezophaps solitaria''), a giant flightless pigeon closely related to the [[dodo]] of Mauritius, and the [[Rodrigues night heron]] (''Nycticorax megacephalus''). An endemic species of bat, the [[Rodrigues flying fox]], is currently listed as [[endangered]] on the [[IUCN Red List]]. There are two remaining endemic bird species: the [[Rodrigues fody]] and the [[Rodrigues warbler]], both are listed as near threatened.{{citation needed|date = November 2023}}

To restore some forest areas, [[Grande Montagne Nature Reserve|Grande Montagne]], [[Anse Quitor Nature Reserve|Anse Quitor]] (with neighbouring [[François Leguat Giant Tortoise and Cave Reserve|François Leguat Giant Tortoise Reserve]]) and two islets, [[Île aux Sables]] and [[Île aux Cocos]] have been declared nature reserves (under the Forest and Reserves Act 1983).<ref name="bio2">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbd.int/doc/world/mu/mu-nr-04-en.pdf |publisher=Convention on Biological Diversity |author=Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development |title=Fourth National Report on the Convention on Biological Diversity&nbsp;– Republic of Mauritius |version=August 2010 |access-date=10 March 2012 |archive-date=12 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512014433/http://www.cbd.int/doc/world/mu/mu-nr-04-en.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Endangered plants on the reserves include ''Zanthoxylum paniculatum'', ''[[Polyscias rodriguesiana]]'', ''Badula balfouriana'', and ''Gouania leguatii''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mauritian-wildlife.org/application/index.php?tpid=31&tcid=88 |title=Welcome to the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) – In The Field – Rodrigues – Anse Quitor |website=mauritian-wildlife.org |access-date=8 December 2018 |archive-date=26 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026064446/http://www.mauritian-wildlife.org/application/index.php?tpid=31&tcid=88 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mauritian-wildlife.org/application/index.php?tpid=31&tcid=92 |title=Welcome to the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) – In The Field – Rodrigues – Plant |website=mauritian-wildlife.org |access-date=8 December 2018 |archive-date=26 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026064435/http://www.mauritian-wildlife.org/application/index.php?tpid=31&tcid=92 |url-status=live }}</ref>