The Aldabra giant tortoise is a huge, long-lived tortoise from the remote Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean. It survived when most other Indian Ocean giant tortoises were wiped out by sailors.
Interesting facts
- It is one of the largest tortoises in the world.
- Tortoises on Aldabra graze so much that they create a special short grassland called ‘tortoise turf’.
- Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise of the same group, living on St Helena, is thought to have hatched around 1832.
- Aldabra Atoll is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Tortoises shelter from the midday heat in shade, caves and even mud.
- They help disperse seeds across islands.
Behaviour
Aldabra tortoises graze in the cooler parts of the day and gather in shade during the heat. Some sleep in shallow pools.
Breeding and young
Females lay clutches of about 9–25 eggs in shallow nests. The eggs hatch after about eight months.
Threats and conservation
Its tiny native range makes it vulnerable to sea-level rise, climate change and introduced species.
Where to see it
- Curieuse Island, Seychelles
- Moyenne Island, Seychelles
- Changuu (Prison) Island, Zanzibar
- La Vanille Nature Park, Mauritius
Status source: IUCN Red List. Profile last reviewed September 2026.
