Animals of Réunion
534 species
Réunion is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas region of France. It is located approximately 550 km east of the island of Madagascar and 175 km southwest of the island of Mauritius. As of January 2022, it had a population of 868,846.
Like its prodigious floral diversity, Réunion is home to a variety of birds such as the white-tailed tropicbird, Many of these birds species are endemic to the island, such as the Réunion harrier and Réunion cuckooshrike. Its largest land animal is the panther chameleon, Furcifer pardalis. Much of the west coast is ringed by coral reef which harbours, among other animals, sea urchins, conger eels, and parrot fish. Sea turtles and dolphins also inhabit the coastal waters. Humpback whales migrate north to the island from the Antarctic waters annually during the Southern Hemisphere winter to breed and feed, and can be routinely observed from the shores of Réunion during this season. At least 19 species formerly endemic to Réunion have become extinct following human colonisation. For example, the Réunion giant tortoise became extinct after being slaughtered in vast numbers by sailors and settlers of the island.
A panther chameleonA juvenile Emperor angelfishA Moorish idolA white-tailed TropicbirdA Hawksbill sea turtleA Humpback whale off St-Gilles
A panther chameleon
A juvenile Emperor angelfish
A Moorish idol
A white-tailed Tropicbird
A Hawksbill sea turtle
A Humpback whale off St-Gilles
Réunion is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas region of France. It is located approximately 550 km east of the island of Madagascar and 175 km southwest of the island of Mauritius. As of January 2022, it had a population of 868,846.
Like its prodigious floral diversity, Réunion is home to a variety of birds such as the white-tailed tropicbird, Many of these birds species are endemic to the island, such as the Réunion harrier and Réunion cuckooshrike. Its largest land animal is the panther chameleon, Furcifer pardalis. Much of the west coast is ringed by coral reef which harbours, among other animals, sea urchins, conger eels, and parrot fish. Sea turtles and dolphins also inhabit the coastal waters. Humpback whales migrate north to the island from the Antarctic waters annually during the Southern Hemisphere winter to breed and feed, and can be routinely observed from the shores of Réunion during this season. At least 19 species formerly endemic to Réunion have become extinct following human colonisation. For example, the Réunion giant tortoise became extinct after being slaughtered in vast numbers by sailors and settlers of the island.
A panther chameleonA juvenile Emperor angelfishA Moorish idolA white-tailed TropicbirdA Hawksbill sea turtleA Humpback whale off St-Gilles
A panther chameleon
A juvenile Emperor angelfish
A Moorish idol
A white-tailed Tropicbird
A Hawksbill sea turtle
A Humpback whale off St-Gilles
