LifespanMore than 100 years
Quick facts
DietVegetation
HabitatGrassy areas
RangeAldabra Atoll, Indian Ocean
The giant tortoises
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On the Aldabra
This species is found naturally on three of the islets of the Aldabra Atoll, a small group of coral islands. Over 90% of the population is found on the largest islet of Grande-Terre and the tortoises here are highly sociable compared to those on the other islets.
Water scarcity and inadequate food on Grande-Terre have inhibited the growth of individual tortoises. They should be ready to mate at 20 to 30 years of age but many do not reach sexual maturity.
Loud courtship
Perhaps this long wait before they come of age is why they sound so excited during courtship. Tortoises have a wide repertoire of grunts, hisses, squeaks and sighs. During their prolonged mating ritual, they emit the strangest barking noises you’d never imagine coming from a tortoise. Perfect for Jurassic Park’s sound designer, looking to voice creatures no-one has heard before. The barks of the raptors in the movie’s famous kitchen scene were made by a mating tortoise!
The family
Four personalities, one giant shell family. Discover the unique quirks and charm of Claude, Belle, Andrea, and Casela as Michael takes you on a tour of their world.
Together, we protect wildlife
Providing world-class care
Reaching further heights
Our tortoises are fed a variety of vegetables, including kang kong, sweet potato leaves, celery, cucumber and turnip. With welfare and enrichment in mind, keepers whip up vegetarian ‘kebabs’ by stringing some veggies together and tying them up just above reach.
These tempting treats ‘stretch’ their chelonian charges physically and mentally by developing problem-solving skills and encouraging the display of natural behaviour, like reaching for vegetation at higher ground.
Conserving biodiversity
Lone survivor
At least 18 different species of land tortoises used to live in the Indian Ocean region. All except the Aldabra have been driven to extinction by sailors who harvested them for food on long voyages and by introduced species such as rats, cats and pigs that preyed on their eggs and hatchlings.
The IUCN Status
VU
Vulnerable
At high risk of extinction in the wild
Island-hopping
In the 1880s, the esteemed Charles Darwin and other conservationists initiated the protection of the Aldabra tortoises. They were one of the first species to be conserved to ensure its survival. A breeding population was set aside on neighbouring Mauritius. Aldabra Atoll is now a World Heritage Site.
The IUCN Status
VU
Vulnerable
At high risk of extinction in the wild
Protection needed
The level of protection instituted by the Seychelles government has seen Aldabra tortoise populations growing steadily and there are now an estimated 100,000 on the atoll. Nevertheless, the species remains at risk due to habitat encroachment by humans and rising sea levels brought on by global warming.
The IUCN Status
VU
Vulnerable
At high risk of extinction in the wild
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species.
DD
Data Deficient
Unknown risk of extinction
LC
Least Concern
At relatively low risk of extinction
NT
Near Threatened
Likely to become vulnerable in the near future
VU
Vulnerable
At high risk of extinction in the wild
EN
Endangered
At very high risk of extinction in the wild
CR
Critically Endangered
At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
EW
Extinct in the Wild
Survives only in captivity
EX
Extinct
No surviving individuals in the wild or in captivity
Adopt an Animal
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Coco
Aldabra Giant Tortoise
Originally from Mauritius, Coco has a reserved and gentle nature, and loves spending time under the shade.
Weighing about 120kg, she is known to our keepers for being a foodie — and boy does she move fast during meal times!
