Adisha Sewdyal's Conservation Journey in Mauritius

Adisha Sewdyal, an alumna of the Faculty of Agriculture with a specialization in agricultural extension, made a significant career shift from agricultural research to avian conservation and biodiversity conservation. She initially worked as research assistant assessing wheat varieties at the Mauritius Research Council. She then dedicated six years to the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation (MWF), where she spearheaded critical field-based conservation initiatives. Her work focused on several endangered endemic bird species:

Pink Pigeon: Engaged in breeding programs, habitat management, and population surveys.
Echo Parakeet: Oversaw nest-site monitoring and facilitated release initiatives.
Mauritian Cuckoo Shrike: Conducted behavioral research and habitat restoration activities.
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  Key Conservation Strategies and Achievements
  Her contributions included conservation and monitoring efforts for these endangered avian species, in collaboration with a diverse team of biologists and ecologists. A major part of her role involved implementing innovative field strategies:

She implemented predator management strategies, including the use of traps, to protect critically endangered birds from introduced mammalian predators. The MWF heavily utilizes the Goodnature® A24 Self-Resetting Traps to control rats (Rattus spp.) due to their efficiency and non-toxic nature, saving significant staff time. These trapping methods are also used to create "mainland islands" in areas like the Black River Gorges National Park. A mainland island is a defined area where intensive predator control is used to create a safe refuge for native species to thrive. 



The Goodnature trap A24

Her work included tracking devices, banding individual birds, and conducting habitat assessments, which involved vegetation surveys, nesting site identification, and predator density mapping.

Career at Ebony Forest Conservation

After her successful journey with the MWF, she joined the Ebony Forest. Adisha Sewdyal was a key member of the conservation team at the Ebony Forest Conservation Project, with her active involvement documented across various initiatives, particularly during the period of 2019 to 2024. Her work at the 50-hectare restoration site in Chamarel was integral to the project's strategy, which combined habitat restoration and species reintroduction with intensive predator control. 

A brief summary of her work includes: Avian Species Management: She was part of the team responsible for the successful reintroduction and establishment of endangered bird sub-populations.   

This included working with the Echo Parakeet, such as the translocation and release of ten chicks from the Black River Gorges National Park to the Ebony Forest reserve.

She also contributed to the successful re-establishment of the Mauritius Kestrel, a new sub-population of which began breeding annually in nest boxes within the forest, with chicks successfully fledging in 2020.

o Her team's efforts also prepared for the reintroduction of other critically threatened passerine species, including the Mauritius Olive White-eye and Mauritius Fody.

Predator Control Implementation: She was involved in implementing and maintaining a 19-hectare multi-tool predator control grid. This grid, which uses traps like GoodNature A24, was essential for reducing invasive mammalian predators (such as rats, cats, and tenrecs) to create a safe ecological refuge for the endemic fauna.

Capacity Building and Training: Adisha was listed as one of the staff members who received extensive training in avifauna conservation. This training covered a wide array of skills, including bird handling, ringing, nest watching, bird morphometrics, and data collection, which helped strengthen the in-house capacity of Ebony Forest.

In 2024, Ms Adisha  Sewdyal, has now moved on to work with Société Rouillard Frères where she continues to contributing to the preservation of Mauritius’ biodiversity.

Key Messages for Future Students: Skills for Success

The alumnus's career demonstrates that the most paramount factors for success are intrinsic: a deep-seated love for nature and robust resilience. Her willingness to start as a volunteer and dedicate six years to demanding fieldwork, facing the inherent challenges of endangered species management, highlights that commitment and perseverance are the true engines of progress. In any field, from engineering to business, this passion will fuel motivation, and resilience will ensure you push through setbacks and maintain high standards when projects become difficult.
Adisha stresses that practical experience is paramount over basic academic credentials alone. Her hands-on acquisition of life-long experiences—from the rigorous discipline learned during an unrelated early internship to the specialized techniques of hand-rearing and habitat restoration—shows the value of applied knowledge

A successful career requires a constant willingness to learn new skills and adapt to broader roles. She transitioned from specialized, species-specific work (Pink Pigeon) to holistic ecosystem management (Ebony Forest) and mastered modern analytical tools like Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This trajectory illustrates that continuous upskilling and the proactive acquisition of knowledge—whether technological, analytical, or managerial—are essential for career longevity and growth in any profession. Your ability to learn and apply new skills will define your strategic relevance in an ever-changing professional landscape.

Adisha has played a pivotal role in reversing the declines of critical avian species, ensuring their long-term viability, and making significant contributions to the preservation and enhancement of Mauritius's unique biodiversity through diligent research, innovative predator control, and meticulous species management.

Photos have been sources form Ebony Forest and MWF websites.

A big Bravo for Adisha's contribution to Preservation of Mauritius Biodiversity