The aldabra giant tortoise can weigh up to 250 kilograms and have a carapace length of up to 120 centimetres. Today, it is found only on the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, situated north of Madagascar.
The tortoises prefer shady bushes to escape the midday heat. To cool off, they often head for ponds to have a dip.
Aldabra giant tortoises eat plants and aren’t fussy about what they eat. They even eat the dry leaves of the Coconut palm.
The female lays between 4 and 14 spherical eggs in holes she has dug herself in the sand. Depending on the incubation temperature, the juveniles hatch after 98 to 200 days.
Galápagos and Aldabra giant tortoises are most easily distinguished from one another by their neck shields. The aldabra giant tortoise has a small neck shield, whereas the Galápagos giant tortoise does not.
Taxonomy
Testudinidae, Aldabrachelys (1 species)
Habitat
coastal areas and open scrubland with grasses and sedges
Behaviour and ecology
diurnal, migrations to egg-laying sites
Social structure
large herds
