Two years after its founding, the Attitude Foundation held the opening ceremony, in 2010, its first Marine Discovery Center at the Lagoon in Anse La Raie. The Lagoon has just launched its catamaran, the Ekol’O—16 years in the making—which offers the public and schools an immersive and hands-on experience of the marine environment off the coast of the four northern hotels: Coin de Mire, Lagoon, Zilwa, and Paradise Cove… Dominique Bellier
Ekol’O is a citizen science initiative that allows guests at Attitude hotels, schoolchildren, and members of the local community to gain hands-on, field experience with the topics covered in theory at the chain’s marine education and research centers. These ocean excursions include snorkeling sessions along a marine trail designed by biologists and invite participants to help collect data that feeds into the center’s research programs…
The challenge is to foster an understanding of marine ecosystems as active participants rather than mere spectators. Most swimmers marvel at the beauty of the seabed, yet are unable to name the species, much less understand their lives… Beyond respecting the environment out of moral and ethical duty, it’s about taking an interest in it, contributing to it, and being accountable for it—whether you’re a tourist or a young Mauritian. Ekol’O offers an immersive, hands-on experience of our marine biodiversity, the threats it faces, and the challenges it presents.
Educational materials on the research programs (turtles, humpback whales, seabirds, acoustic data, etc.) that the Marine Discovery Center is working on are carried aboard the training boat. The snorkeling sessions adhere to very high safety standards and teach participants to act responsibly. The director of the Marine Discovery Centers, Marine Malen, hopes to welcome more children from public schools and conduct in-depth educational work with a school…
