Trou aux Cerfs (also known as Murr's Volcano) is a dormant, crater lake,

cinder cone A cinder cone or scoria cone is a steep, volcanic cone, conical landform of loose pyroclastic rock, pyroclastic fragments, such as volcanic ash, clinkers, or scoria that has been built around a volcanic vent. The pyroclastic fragments are forme ...

volcano A volcano is commonly defined as a vent or fissure in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most oft ...

with a well-defined cone and crater. It is high and located in

Curepipe Curepipe (), also known as ''La Ville-Lumière'' (The City of Light), is a town in Mauritius, located mainly in the Plaines Wilhems District. Its eastern part lies in the Moka District. The town is administered by the Municipal Council of Cure ...

Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...

. The crater has been alternately described as 300 and 350 meters in diameter, and is 80 meters deep. The crater was formed less than 2 million years ago in the second phase of volcanic activity that created Mauritius. According to experts, the volcano is currently dormant but could become active at any time within the next thousand years. It last erupted 700,000 years ago.

Wildlife on the volcano

Fauna

Currently, the only mammals living on the volcano are the long-tailed macaque (

Macaca fascicularis The crab-eating macaque (''Macaca fascicularis''), also known as the long-tailed macaque or cynomolgus macaque, is a Cercopithecinae, cercopithecine primate native to Southeast Asia. As a Synanthrope, synanthropic species, the crab-eating macaqu ...

) and the fruit bat ( Pteropus niger). Lots of exotic birds are found here, including the red fody (

Foudia madagascariensis The red fody (''Foudia madagascariensis''), also known as the Madagascar fody in Madagascar, red cardinal fody in Mauritius, or common fody, is a small bird native to Madagascar and introduced to various other islands in the Indian Ocean. It is a ...

), but the endemic bird species are the martin ( Phedina borbonica) and the swiftlet ( Aerodramus francicus).

Flora

Two species of the genus '' Trochetia'' are found here. They are '' Trochetia blackburniana'' and the very rare '' Trochetia triflora''. The most common exotic tree found here is the pine tree (''

Pinus massoniana ''Pinus massoniana'' (English: Masson's pine, Chinese red pine, horsetail pine; Chinese: 馬尾松) is a species of pine, native to Taiwan, a wide area of central and southern China, and northern Vietnam. Description It is an evergreen tree ...

''), but the endemic plants include the manglier ('' Sideroxylon puberulum'') and the fanjan ('' Alsophila sp.'')

Other volcanoes in Mauritius

Main volcanoes

(Aside Trou aux Cerfs)

Mt. Bar le Duc

This volcano is 507m high. It is a

shield volcano A shield volcano is a type of volcano named for its low profile, resembling a shield lying on the ground. It is formed by the eruption of highly fluid (low viscosity) lava, which travels farther and forms thinner flows than the more viscous lava ...

. Having a deep crater, it is dormant. It is also known as Ripailles hill. From it, you’ll see Alma hill, another volcano.

Trou Kanaka

It is 570m high. It is a cinder cone volcano. This volcano also has a deep crater and is extinct. It is near Ganga Talao, a volcano.

Ganga Talao

Ganga Talao, also known as Grand Bassin, is an extinct volcano and a crater lake volcano. It is 560m high. It is a major Hindu pilgrimage site.

Bassin Blanc

As the crater has been filled with water, it is a crater lake volcano. It is extinct. When it erupted long ago, it created the valleys of La Vallee des Couleurs Nature Park.

Lesser-known volcanoes

Mount Piton

Mount Piton is the highest hill in the North with it being 267m high. It is a

and an extinct volcano. The crater is located where a small forest is found.

The Mount hill

The Mount is close to Mount Piton. It is 162m high. It is covered with sugarcane fields.

Butte aux Papayes hill

Near Belle vue Harel, it is 142m high. It is now the “''Domaine de Hillside''” where people live.

Forbach hill

It is near Butte aux Papayes hill with it being 101m high. It is extinct. Like The Mount, it’s covered with sugarcane fields.

Mt. William

While going to Nicoliere reservoir, on your left you will see Mt William, a dead volcano. A forest is found next to the crater, where there are lots of exotic Psidium cattleianum. It is 306m high.

Mon Loisir hill

Further from Mount Piton, you can see Mon Loisir hill. The elevation is low and covered with sugarcane.

Alma hill

From Mont Bar le duc, you can easily see Alma hill. Rich with trees, this dead volcano has always been a scenic spot.

Mt. Calebasses

Mont Calebasses is an isolated peak, being 632m in height. It can be seen from the Terre Rouge-Verdun Highway. It was a volcano.

L’escalier volcano

Located in Nouvelle decouverte, it is extinct. The crater is shallow.

Verdun hill

This volcano is 537m high. It is located near Belle Rive.

Butte Chaumont

Near Verdun hill, this volcano, like Trou Kanaka, is 570m high. It is extinct.

Trou de Mme Bouchet

Next to Mare aux Vacoas reservoir, Trou de Mme Bouchet is extinct.

Curepipe Point

Being the highest volcano in Mauritius, it is 686m high. Like Trou de Mme Bouchet, it is next to Mare aux Vacoas reservoir.

Mt. Perruche

Near Mare aux Vacoas, it is in the Domaine des 7 Vallees Nature Reserve.

References

Volcanoes of Mauritius Dormant volcanoes Curepipe {{Mauritius-geo-stub