Pointes et plages de Saziley et Charifou


Pointes et plages de Saziley et Charifou is a protected area in Mayotte, a French island territory in the Comoro archipelago of the western Indian Ocean. It was established in 1997.

Description

The protected area includes Point Saziley, the south-easternmost headland of the island, and adjacent areas. Point Saziley is 4 km long with a sharp ridge rising to 233 m and is vegetated with dry shrubland and thicket containing baobabs. The protected area also includes the beaches and mangroves of Dapani and Charifou west of Point Salizey. The adjacent sea is part of Mayotte Marine Natural Park.

Wildlife

The area supports populations of Comoros olive pigeon, Comoros blue pigeon, Mayotte white-eye, Mayotte sunbird and red-headed fody. It is also home to Robert Mertens's day geckos, island day geckos and Pasteur's day geckos. Its beaches are a nesting site for green, and probably hawksbill, sea turtles.
Together with Mont Choungui to the west, it forms the 1600 ha Mlima Choungui and Sazilé or Crêtes du Sud Important Bird Area, as identified as such by BirdLife International.