ALDABRA TORTOISE
- Jayen Chan
- Dec 12, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 19, 2021
Common Name: Aldabra Tortoise
Scientific Name: Aldabrachelys gigantea
Class: Reptiles
Diet: Herbivore
Size: For mature males, their carapace can grow to an average length of 122cm and weight up to 250kg. Meanwhile, the mature female has an average length of the carapace of 91cm and an average weight of up to 159kg.
Average Lifespan: 80 - 150 years
Origin: Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, Indian Ocean
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Physical Description
Aldabra tortoises are usually in dark grey to black in colour.
They have a visible small neck plate on their highly domed and thick carapace which cannot be seen on other species of giant tortoises.
They have long necks to help them gather their food and their scales covered with small heads are usually pointed.
The Aldabra tortoises have thick and scales-covered hind legs and the toes are short and two-jointed.
Habitat
Scrub, mangrove swamp, and coastal dunes.
The largest concentrations of tortoises are found on the grasslands called platins.
Did You Know?
The Aldabra Tortoise is The World's Second Largest Tortoise.
Although their diet was mostly vegetation, however, they are also flexible and opportunistic in their diet. They may also consume small invertebrates and even carrion (including dead tortoises) in order to get enough survival nourishment.
They are able to survive without food and water for a long period.
Due to their giant body size, the Aldabra tortoises play a similar role as the elephant, when they vigorously search for food, they fell trees to search for nutritious leaves and this helps to create pathways used by other animals.
When the seeds pass through the tortoise's digestive tract, they eventually become food for many other species.
The Aldabra tortoises like to wallow in the mud to prevent mosquitoes when they sleep.
All wild Aldabra tortoises are restricted to their native habitat, Aldabra Atoll. They are the only remaining species of the 18 tortoise species that were flourished on the island of the Indian Ocean. The other species are extinct due to the hunting activities by the sailors and also other predators of their eggs such as rats.
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