Aldabra Giant Tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea): habitat and range

Fun facts

An individual named Jonathan, on Saint Helena, is estimated to be over 190 years old.
It can live more than 150 years, one of the longest-lived tortoises on the planet.
It feeds mainly on vegetation, though it occasionally eats small invertebrates and carrion.

Life cycle and biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - bony skeleton with a fused shell (reptile)
Habitat and environment: Grassland, scrub, mangrove and coastal dunes of the Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles
Birth weight: The eggs weigh 40-75 grams; the sources consulted give no precise weight for the newly hatched young
Size at birth: Small on hatching, growing fast over its first 20-30 years
Sexual maturity: 15-30 years (sources vary; 20-25 years is commonly given)
Gestation / incubation: 95-250 days depending on temperature (110 days in a warm climate, up to 250 in a cold one)
Litter / clutch size: 5 to 25 eggs per clutch
Life expectancy in captivity: Documented or alleged cases of 152 to 255 years (though the most extreme figures are not fully confirmed)

Sources consulted: Animal-pedia.org; A-Z Animals; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Animalia.bio; Wikipedia (Jonathan the tortoise); Cotswold Wildlife Park

Where to find it

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The pins mark the parks and dive sites where its presence is documented.

Where to see it

Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.

Related species

Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Aldabra Giant Tortoise — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.

Shares a park

How to help

The aldabra giant tortoise is classified as vulnerable. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.

It's documented in 2 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.

Aldabra Giant Tortoise