Maurice (Round Island)

‘Maurice’s’ shell transports you to beautiful Round Island, a symbol for conservation optimism thanks to Durrell’s ambitious efforts to restore the island’s unique biodiversity. Artist Jen’s time working on Round Island while studying with Durrell was an unforgettable experience. They pulled up tobacco plants, monitored seabirds, searched for boas by moonlight and watched humpback whales breaching off the shore as Telfair’s skinks scuttled around their boots. This tiny but extraordinary island, whose only human inhabitants are field workers, has been the focus of groundbreaking conservation initiatives, including the introduction of Aldabra giant tortoises as ecological replacements for extinct Mauritian tortoises.