Several rare avian visitors to Seychelles have been reported from Alphonse by Island Conservation Society staff in December including Amur Falcon Falco amurensis, Western Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus and Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus.

The Amur Falcon, pictured above, breeds in north eastern Asia and migrates south through India before crossing the Indian Ocean to winter in Africa. This individual was located at the IDC village by Chris Narty on 18 December and was also seen by Pep Nogués and Ari Fernadez. Chris, Pep and Ari are ICS staff based on the island running conservation programmes supported by IDC.

President Danny Faure has announced the appointment of a new Board of Directors for IDC. The Chairman of the Board will be Mr Patrick Berlouis.  He will replace Mr Patrick Lablache, who is the current Chairman, but who will remain a Board Member. The other Board Members will be:
• Mr Alain de Commarmond
• Mr William Rose
• Ms Angèle Lebon
• Ms Angelique Antat
• Ms Sherin Francis
• Mr Glenny Savy
• Mr Ronny Renaud

The new Board appointments will take effect from 1st January 2017.

A bus shelter at Ile Perseverance, donated by the Lions Club of Seychelles and sponsored by the Green Island Construction Company (GICC), has been officially inaugurated. Present at the ceremony were the Minister for Habitat, Infrastructure and Land Transport, Charles Bastienne, the International President of Lions Clubs, Chancellor Lion Robert Corlew, first lady of Lions International, Lion Dianne Corlew, Lions members and other distinguished guests. Chancellor Corlew, who along with Minister Bastienne and Mrs Corlew, inaugurated the facility, explained that the bus shelter will serve the community of Ile Perseverance by providing them with a much comfortable place to wait for the bus, and said: “We do our very best around the world to serve the communities, especially the people of Seychelles. We have so many wonderful programmes that will inspire people, and make their lives easier.” Minister Bastienne thanked Lions Club for their generosity, stating: “Today is a memorable event; Lions Club of Seychelles has marked the lives of so many people in Seychelles. We can depend on them to serve the community.” Lions Club Seychelles has spent over R1.5 million in building several bus shelters around Mahé, including Beau Vallon, Curio Road, Plaisance, Victoria and Ile Perseverance, and has many ongoing projects such as drug and alcohol rehabilitation projects and a nationwide rotavirus vaccination campaign.