For other uses of this term, see Silhouette. Beach on Silhouette Island. Seychelles.
Silhouette Island is located 20 km northwest of Mahe in the Seychelles. It is the third largest island of Seychelles. It has an area of 20 km² and a population of 135. The main settlement is La Passe, where there is a hotel for visitors. Its name comes from Étienne de Silhouette (1709-1767), French minister of finance under the reign of Louis XV.
The island is mountainous, with five peaks of more than 500 meters of altitude; Mont Dauban (740m), Mont-Pot-a-Eau (621m), Gratte Fesse (515m), Mont Corgat (502m) and Mont Cocos Marrons (500m). This makes it the most rugged landscape of the islands. From the 19th century until 1960 the island was owned by the Dauban family of Mauritius who planted fruit trees and coconut palms. The Dauban Plantation House has recently been restored.
Silhouette Island is located within a Marine-Terrestrial National Park, which is dedicated to the protection of the environment. It is one of the most biodiverse places in the western Indian Ocean with many endemic and endangered species of plants and animals.
The island has a large area of primeval forest, where the bats of the Seychelles breed. It is also an important area for birds and is considered by the Alliance for Zero Extinction [1] as an important site for the survival of endangered species. The Nature Conservation Trust of Seychelles, in charge of island conservation, has a breeding center for giant Seychelles turtles and giant Arnold tortoises. In December 2006, this last species was reintroduced into the wild.
On the island, different stories and legends circulate, such as containing ancient medieval sepulchers of Arab sailors (although they have been dated in as little as 200 years), or the burial of the pirate Jean-François Hodoul. << / p> :
Coordinates: 4 ° 29'S 55 ° 14'E / -4.483, 55.233
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