Mauritius, a small island nation east of Madagascar, is known for its postcard-perfect beaches, warm hospitality, and cultural diversity. And it’s known for the dodo, the poster child for human-driven extinction. Mauritius has also lost more than 130 other lesser known plants and animals, from giant skinks to burrowing boas, since the island was colonized in 1638.
The IUCN also organized two workshops hosted by Mauritius's Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security to promote nonlethal means to mitigate problems between people and bats. "Everyone was quite motivated, and we felt like we were making headway," says Tigga Kingston, a biologist at Texas Tech University and co-chair of the IUCN's Old World Bat Specialist Group. Shortly after, however, the government began a third cull of 13,000 flying foxes, which recently concluded.
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