Bras d'Eau National Park

Bras d'Eau National Park (Bras d'Eau國家公園)
Mauritius (2013)
16th October, 2013. Waterfront

In the east of Mauritius, the Bras d'Eau Reserve stretches out over an area of 1,235 acres. It takes its name from the mass of water in the shape of an arm that traverses it. Originally made up of the Bras d'Eau and Mare-Sacelle Nature Reserves, it has been listed as a national park since October 2011. It brings together various animal and plant species in an area that mainly consists of forests. The park is notably home to trees that rise 40m tall, such as the Australian White Eucalyptus and the Florida Mahogany.

Mascarene Martin (馬島原燕)
Mauritius (2013)
16th October, 2013. Central Flacq

Common Myna

Indian Myna (家八哥)
Mauritius (2006)
27th September, 2007. Nouvelle France

Common Myna is very common in India and China, people in China like feed it as a pet. Some people do not like wild live Myna as it nests in building and damage human's property or overturn the rubbish bins in urban area. Originally Mauritius doesn't have Myna, same as Australia and Madagascar, those birds introduced by French to control Red Locusts (紅翅蝗) on 1763. Stamp illustrated Myna caught a Red Locust in the Mauritius farmland.

Above envelope, also features two Ctenella Chagius (查戈斯珊瑚) stamps which issued on 2007. The information of Mauritius Post says this carol is not very common in there but can be found in the lagoons of Trou aux Biches and Mahebourg/Vieux Grand Port.

The Dodo

The Dodo (渡渡鳥)

Mauritius (2007)

7th October, 2008. Port Louis

13th October, 2008. Hongkong

The Dodo is very famous in world, not as it is beautiful or it does not afraid human, mainly reasons are it was extinct in 17th century after 160 years of discovery of Mauritius and the tale of Alice. It habited in Mauritius before people found this island but extinct in 1662. Unfortunately no specimen store in any museum for exhibition or reference nowadays, however many painters and artists use their pictures and illustrations to record Dodos.

Above cover shown us four different historical Dodo's illustration stamps, which are in one set issued on two years ago. Mauritius post office had issued many Dodo stamps since 1950, this time presenting the artist impressions of the Dodo : Rs5 is the Dodo's bill sketch found in the Journal of Admiral Wolfert Harmenszoon, who visited Mauritius in 1601 ; Rs10 is illustrated by Adrian Van de Venne on 1621 ; The illustration of Rs15, original painting appeared in a publication by Harrison, Cluse and Co. 1798 and the last one Rs25, chromolithographer is J.W. Frohawk, who did it on 1905.

In here also shown a selected maxicard of the Dodo. Thanks for Mrs. Tasneem of the great help on the cover and maxicards, they are important parts in my Southern Africa collection.

Maxicard

26th November, 2008. Port Louis

Mauritius Parakeet

Mauritius Parakeet (毛里求斯長尾小鸚鵡)

Mauritius (2003)

23rd November, 2008. Port Louis

Thanks Tasneem for the nice cover, she franked whole set of beautiful parrot stamps with postage label. Mauritius Parakeet is a rare bird which only can be seen in Mauritius and islands near Madagascar, locals named katover. In 60's year of last century, it became near-extinction, following 20 years, dedicated research and conservation effort was launched to save the birds, the situation had at stabilized. Nowadays the population around 250-300 birds.