There’s plenty of fauna and flora to see on a guided hike up the granitic slopes of Spa Hill, but the highlight has to be our nesting White-Tailed Tropicbirds and their adorable fluffy white chicks. Tropicbirds mate for life and return to their nest sites to lay a single, coffee-coloured egg. Spa Hill has been a popular choice as it offers safe rocky crevices where adults take turns to incubate their tiny powder-puff chicks.
These iconic Seychelles seabirds were all but removed from North Island due to intense predation from rats, but since the successful rat eradication, Tropicbirds have been making their way back to the island. We now have approximately 30 breeding pairs and closely monitor their hatching success.
At the top of Spa Hill guests can admire the awe-inspiring 360 degree views of the island and at the same time take a breather to watch breeding pairs fly overhead – the male Tropicbird flies close above the female, occasionally bending his tail-plumes down to touch hers. Romance can be found everywhere on North, not just among our honeymooning lovebirds but also in the blue expanse of the skies.
You can read more about the conservation efforts on North Island and the success of our Noah’s Ark project, here.
