Aldabra Giant Tortoise

Aldabra Giant Tortoise Latest News

On the first day of his Seychelles visit, Prime Minister met and fed Jonathan, the Aldabra giant tortoise estimated to be 194 years old and recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest living land animal. 

About Aldabra Giant Tortoise

• It is the second-largest species of land tortoise in the world, after the Galapagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra).
• Scientific Name: Geochelone gigantea

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Aldabra Giant Tortoise Habitat and Distribution

• It is endemic to the Aldabra Atoll of the Seychelles, an archipelago nation in the western Indian Ocean about 930 miles east of Africa and northeast of Madagascar.
• These are terrestrial and occur in a wide variety of habitats, including scrub forests, mangrove swamps, and coastal dunes and beaches, each with their respective vegetation.
• The largest populations of tortoises are found on grasslands called “platins.”
• Their heavy grazing has formed a special kind of grassland habitat called “tortoise turf.” 

Aldabra Giant Tortoise Features

• They can measure over 120 cm, reaching weights of over 250 kg. 
• Males are considerably larger than females and have longer, thicker tails. 
• They range in color from dark gray to black. 
• Their carapace (or upper shell) is highly domed and thick, with a small neck plate that is usually visible, a feature absent in other species of giant tortoises.  
• They have very long necks to aid in food gathering. 
• Their legs are short and thick, often covered with bony scales. 
• Their heads are relatively small, pointed, and covered by scales. 
• Lifespan: It is among the longest-living vertebrates, with many individuals living over 100 years and some believed to exceed 150 years.  

Aldabra Giant Tortoise Conservation Status

It is classified as ‘Vulnerable‘ under the IUCN Red List.