How Mayotte’s Tire Race Reveals a Broken Waste System

In Mayotte, a traditional children’s game using discarded tyres has become a striking symbol of a much deeper problem: a waste system that leaves fragile islands to manage what the rest of the world discards. With no recycling infrastructure and thousands of tyres arriving each year, the island is paying the price for a global failure.

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Mayotte tire race, waste management crisis, tyre pollution, circular economy failure, island waste, environmental injustice, Serge Melesan, Earth.Org article.

Guardians of the Lagoon — Mayotte’s Green Sea Turtles

In the lagoon of Mayotte, green sea turtles are both a cultural symbol and a fragile species under pressure. From bycatch to habitat loss, their survival reflects the delicate balance between tradition, conservation, and a rapidly changing island.

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Mayotte green sea turtles, lagoon guardians, marine conservation, Indian Ocean, bycatch, coastal development, Serge Melesan, Earth.Org photo essay.

The Invasion of the Lionfish: A Silent Marine Crisis

In the tropical waters of Mayotte, the striking yet venomous lionfish has become a sign of deeper reef imbalance. Originally from the Indo-Pacific, this opportunistic predator thrives on weakened coral ecosystems, feeding on small reef fish and taking advantage of a warming, increasingly disrupted ocean.

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Lionfish invasion Mayotte, invasive species, coral reef degradation, climate change, Indian Ocean, marine biodiversity loss, Serge Melesan, Earth.Org opinion article.

White Silence — Mayotte’s Lagoon Is Bleaching

A once-vibrant coral sanctuary is turning pale. Through my lens, Earth.Org explores the bleaching of Mayotte’s lagoon — a fragile ecosystem facing rising heat, storms, and human pressure.

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Between Species and Worlds – The Hybrid Dolphins of Mayotte

In the clear waters of Mayotte’s lagoon, an extraordinary story unfolds. These hybrid dolphins — born from two different species — reveal the resilience and complexity of life in the Indian Ocean. Their presence offers a window into evolution and coexistence at the edge of changing seas.

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Hybrid dolphins Mayotte, Indian Ocean, conservation photography, Mayotte lagoon, Serge Melesan.

Oceanographic Magazine

Mayotte’s Ocean Heritage – And the Chance to Change Everything

This article explores the extraordinary biodiversity of Mayotte and the local efforts to protect it. From sea turtles to community-driven conservation, it’s a reflection on hope, resilience, and the ocean’s future.

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Mayotte ocean heritage, Oceanographic Magazine, Serge Melesan, sea turtles, marine conservation, Comoros archipelago, underwater photography, human impact, climate change, Indian Ocean.

This story has been featured in both:

Oceanographic Magazine Earth.org

Guardians of the Lagoon — Mayotte’s Green Sea Turtles

I’m proud to share this feature on Mayotte’s green sea turtles — graceful gardeners of the lagoon whose survival mirrors the ocean’s own. Published in Oceanographic Magazine and Earth.org.

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The Aye-Aye Paradox – Between Preservation and Economic Pressures

In the forests of eastern Madagascar, a mysterious nocturnal primate — the aye-aye — embodies the delicate balance between conservation and economic survival. Once feared as a harbinger of death, it now symbolizes a community’s transformation, where protecting nature has become a question of dignity, resilience, and hope.

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Aye-aye Madagascar, conservation, sustainable tourism, biodiversity loss, Serge Melesan.