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Wildlife
Both green turtles and hawksbill turtles nest on the shores of Alphonse, while in the waters of St Francois’ lagoon they may be seen year round. Hawksbills are smaller than greens, adults weighing in at around 90 and 200 kilos respectively. Each takes between 20 and 50 years to reach maturity Seychelles is the only place in the world where hawksbill turtles nest in daylight, a reminder that before humans arrived on these shores they had nothing to fear.

There are no indigenous land mammals on isolated atolls such as Alphonse, but somehow, green geckos have made it across the ocean and a brown house gecko species has also been recorded though this is rarely seen.

Many species of crabs are to be found both in the tidal zone and on the island itself. One species, Gray’s grapsus, is dominant on the land, while on the beach, silvery ghost crabs scurry along the sand. The density of crabs on St Francois is amazing and here, species include the huge coconut (or robber) crab. Coconut crabs today survive only in the southern atolls from Alphonse to Aldabra. They live on the land and are active by night, retreating to their burrows during the hot daylight hours. This is the world's largest crab with a powerful pincer quite capable of inflicting damage on anything it chooses.

Birds
Due mainly to the isolation and young age of Alphonse, there are no indigenous landbirds.

There had been the rare endemic Seychelles Magpie-robin, brought to the island at an unknown date in the late 19th century. It thrived on Alphonse at a time when it was disappearing from some of its natural homes in the granitic islands, so much so, that by 1940 there were only two islands where the species had survived, Alphonse and Frégate.

Today there are two introduced birds, both remain common on Alphonse. House Sparrows are seen all over the island. The other surviving introduction is Common Waxbill, to be found in the grassy margins of the airstrip and the hotel. They are attractive tiny birds with a glossy red beak, adults having a red patch in the centre of the belly.

There are, of course, seabirds on and around the atoll. On the western side of Alphonse, there is a large frigatebird roost, where two species Lesser Frigatebird and Great Frigatebird are to be seen. They do not breed here, the nearest colony to Alphonse being at Aldabra, 700 km distant. Frigatebirds have a wingspan well over 2 metres, yet weigh no more than 1.6 kilos. They are seabirds but are unable to swim, having little waterproofing. Their feet are so small that they cannot walk on land, but merely perch. Yet this is the ultimate seabird, spending most of its life over the sea, feeding at times up to 2,000 km from land.

Brown Noddy and Fairy Tern are common at Alphonse and breed on St Francois. Other tern species include the large Crested Tern and the much smaller Black naped Tern, a seabird that breeds only on coral atolls and occasionally breed at St Francois.

As the tide recedes, the stately Grey Heron may be seen patrolling the reef flats on the lookout for fish stranded in rock pools. Wherever there are fish to be caught, the Grey Heron may be found, from the frozen margins of Arctic waters, to small ponds in temperate countries, to the reef flats of atolls such as Alphonse. The smaller, chunkier Green-backed Heron enjoy the same fish diet and breeds alongside the Grey Heron on Bijoutier.

Crab Plovers are a speciality of the western Indian Ocean. The number of Crab Plover at St Francois is remarkable and the atoll may be of global importance as a wintering ground for this species. Up to 1,500 birds have been recorded, which equates to about 3% of the known world population. Nowhere else in the world can such a high proportion of a migratory species’ population be found wintering so far from a continental landmass.

Other wading birds are seen at St Francois such as Grey Plover, Curlew Sandpiper and sandplovers. Rare migratory species regularly appear during the northern winter. The first Chiffchaff for Seychelles, a tiny warbler, was recorded in the grounds of Alphonse Island Resort. The first Sociable Lapwing for the entire Southern Hemisphere spent several months feeding in the grassy margins of Alphonse airstrip in 2001 to 2002.

Plants
A walk or cycle around the island’s paths will reveal all the following plants and more, each a reminder of a different era in the story of Alphonse……..

Above all coconuts are the legacy of Alphonse but look a little closer and you will also see that a wide variety of crops were grown. Papaws that now grow wild in the margins of the airstrip, while tall breadfruit trees and other fruit trees are scattered across the island. Deep in the undergrowth behind the present-day farm, bilembi (or cucumber tree) is to be found, a popular ingredient in Seychelles cuisine. Other crops were grown for self-sufficiency: these included sisal, used to make ropes and cotton, both of which still grow wild on Alphonse.

Many of the less showy plants were grown for the medicinal value including castor oil and bred marten (common in the grass at the cemetery), which was used to treat eczema. Madagascar periwinkle with its pretty pink or white flowers combines both beauty and remarkable medicinal powers. The discovery that it contained vincristine, an element that has virtually eliminated childhood leukaemia over much of the world, has elevated this plant’s status to one of the top ten medicinal plants in the world.

Symbols of the tropics are present such as bougainvillaea, frangipani and hibiscus. Frangipani, often called pagoda tree or temple flower, is associated with life, and immortality, and the flowers are used as offerings to the gods. It is therefore often planted in cemeteries, or near the graves of Buddhists and Muslims.

Perhaps most spectacular of all is the dazzling bougainvillaea, named in honour of Louis Antoine de Bougainville, a great explorer and the first Frenchman to cross the Pacific. Ironically it is not really the flowers of bougainvillaea we all so admire. These are actually small, white and nondescript. The plant owes its gaudy appearance to the three large bracts, which surround the tiny flowers.

Hibiscus leaves are edible, should the fancy take you, however, most people are content to value them simply for their beauty. The yellow-flowered Sea Hibiscus is also to be found along the coast, but unlike its cousin, this is a native plant found throughout Seychelles.

Scaevola or veloutye dominates the beach crest. This indigenous shrub is highly resistant to salt spray and so hedges of it are sometimes planted to protect some areas, such as the one in front of the dining area of the Hotel. It also helps to prevent beach erosion.

Guests can find lerb diriz (or rice herb) and Seychelles Lillies with their bright pink and white striped flowers are also common, having been planted for their beauty and the fact they do well in the thin soils and salt air near to the coast.

At the margins of the coconut grove there are yellow koket flowers, and Jean Robert with tiny red or white flowers are common, as is lange de bouef fern, bwa sander and batatran blanc. There are areas where the curious sens sentemen dominates, a new plant able to spring from a single leaf.

St Francois has an entirely different character to its’ vegetation and far fewer species. 15 species of flowering plants are found here, compared to 62 on Alphonse. However, this included one remarkable discovery, Boerhavia crispifolia, previously thought to be confined to Aldabra Atoll. Another discovery, Grewia picta, had previously only been recorded from Madagascar and Aldabra.