In late 2022 I was on a residency on Silhouette, the third largest granitic island in Seychelles and home to one of the richest biodiversity points in the western Indian Ocean with many endemic and threatened plant and animal species. 93% of the landmass of the island is a protected natural park, dominated by Mont Dauban, the steep slopes of which have prevented significant development and population spread. The vast majority of the 150 inhabitants live concentrated in the small pier of La Passe, except an elderly local couple who have deliberately embraced a zero-footprint life of isolation on the secluded Grand Barbe.
Accessible only by a dinghy during low tide, their bay is a haven where time seems to stand still. Surrounded by century-old tortoises, they share the beach with occasional visits from sea turtles coming to lay their eggs undisturbed and a colony of critically endangered sheath-tailed bats. Nasreen Khan, from the Island Conservation Society, visits Grand Barbe frequently in the rain season, to monitor turtle nests as well as the state of the coral reef and other endemic species. She explains me that due to wildlife preservation policies minimal artificial lighting is allowed on the island after dusk.
Accessible only by a dinghy during low tide, their bay is a haven where time seems to stand still. Surrounded by century-old tortoises, they share the beach with occasional visits from sea turtles coming to lay their eggs undisturbed and a colony of critically endangered sheath-tailed bats. Nasreen Khan, from the Island Conservation Society, visits Grand Barbe frequently in the rain season, to monitor turtle nests as well as the state of the coral reef and other endemic species. She explains me that due to wildlife preservation policies minimal artificial lighting is allowed on the island after dusk.
A selection of photos from this series is published on British Airways’ High Life Magazine, July 2023.
