About half of the area of Seychelles is protected which consists of national parks, including two World Heritage Sites as declared by UNESCO: namely the atoll of Aldabra which is home to giant tortoises and the famous botanical garden of the Vallée de Mai on Praslin which has the native Coco de Mer, the largest  seed in the world.
Given the unique biodiversity of Seychelles, the Central Bank showcased this fact through the new family of banknotes and coins which was unveiled in December last year, which is Seychelles’ Unique Biodiversity – the Backbone of Our Economy. The new banknotes and coins represent the Seychelles’ endemic flora and fauna.