Giant tortoises are amongst the world’s most primitive reptiles having survived for millions of years. People have always been fascinated by these long-lived animals. It is said that a Seychelles giant tortoise featured on the front page of the “Illustrated London News” in 1875. Even today, their gentle ET-like demeanour, slow lumber and the fact that they will submit to a petting without too much fuss make them a popular attraction on islands where they have been introduced.
Giant tortoises were once found on many islands of the Indian Ocean. And in Seychelles before human arrival, tortoises were found on most of the granitic islands and Denis, as well as Providence, St Pierre, Aldabra, Astove, Assumption and Cosmoledo.
But as an important food source for seafarers visiting Indian Ocean islands in the 17th to 19th centuries, they were hunted, captured and stored for meat on ships. This exploitation, the destruction of habitat and the introduction of predators decimated the populations, except those on the Aldabra Atoll. An estimated one hundred thousand tortoises live in the wild of the Aldabra Atoll, and several hundred have been introduced to various islands of Seychelles including Curieuse, Cousin, and Fregate. They are also widely kept in captivity.
Aldabra Giant Tortoises Aldabrachelys gigantea are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ in the IUCN (World Conservation Union) list of endangered species and their international trade is restricted by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Tortoises feed mainly on vegetation, particularly low grasses, maintaining a characteristic species-rich “tortoise tuff”. In the heat of the day, they seek shelter under bushes or in shallow pools. Mating takes place mainly during the northwest monsoon. The peak nesting season is June-September. Females dig nests in soil in slightly shaded places and the eggs take two to five months to hatch. If they survive their early years, tortoises may be very long-lived and have little to fear from predators. Tortoises are capable of growth throughout their life if conditions permit. In captivity, giant tortoises can live for over 150 years.
Photo Credit: Maxime-Aliaga