Getting to know the species
Aldabra giant tortoise
Aldabrachelys gigantea
Aldabrachelys gigantea: a large herbivore from the Seychelles that helps shape its environment. Discover the species beyond its size and age records.
Aldabra giant tortoise photographed at ZooParc de Beauval in France: a zoological setting, not its native atoll.
Photo: William Crochot — Aldabrachelys gigantea (Tortue géante des Seychelles) - 380 (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0. Web copy resized and compressed, without cropping or retouching.
Aldabrachelys gigantea is the giant tortoise native to Aldabra in the Seychelles. Its importance goes beyond its size: this large herbivore plays a part in the functioning of the island ecosystem.
What the photograph shows
The carapace is robust and greyish-brown or dark; powerful limbs support a very heavy body, and the neck can extend a considerable distance. The photograph on this page was taken at a European zoological institution: it does not depict the natural landscape of the Seychelles.
A species that shapes the landscape
Grazing and seed dispersal contribute to the relationships between plants and animals. The Seychelles Islands Foundation studies movements, habitat use and population dynamics: protecting tortoises also means observing the changes around them.
Large bodies, long lives
It is among the largest living land tortoises. Size and longevity vary: weight and age records should not become promises for every individual. Its life can span human generations, making continuity of care and habitat protection central concerns.
It is not a ‘larger’ alternative to a garden tortoise. Its needs for space, facilities and care require specialist, long-term planning, not improvised adjustments.
A respectful encounter
When visiting, observe from a distance, follow staff guidance and do not climb on the shell, force the animal to move or offer food on your own initiative. An animal’s willingness to remain near people is not consent to being handled.
Science notebook · A giant that shapes the landscape
A closer look at Aldabrachelys gigantea
On Aldabra, a tortoise is more than an island resident: its grazing helps shape the vegetation. Its size, exceptionally long life and relationship with its habitat make this species very different from the tortoises in our gardens.
Adult carapace
Up to approximately 1.22 m
For males in the Smithsonian profile; approximately 0.91 m is given for females. These are not average sizes for all populations. [1]
Body mass
Up to approximately 250 kg
Large males; the same source gives approximately 159 kg for females. Sex and population have a major influence on body mass. [1]
Longevity
Can exceed 100 years
An exceptionally long-lived species; a century-old individual is a survival record, not a guaranteed average lifespan. [1]
Length refers to the carapace, excluding head and tail. Averages, maxima and records are distinguished: they are not growth targets or diagnoses for an individual animal.
Species atlas
Where it lives in the world
Aldabra · Seychelles · Madagascar · Indian Ocean
- Atoll locator, not to scale
Its present native range is Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. Populations moved to other islands are not confused with its natural origin. Because the atoll is tiny at this scale, it is shown with an enlarged green locator, not a misleadingly extensive range. [1] [2]
Editorial cartographic overview: discontinuous distribution and generalised boundaries, not an official map or a map of specific sites. Base map: Natural Earth, public domain. No locations of individual animals.
One atoll, several habitats
The landscape includes grasslands, scrub and coastal areas. The Seychelles Islands Foundation describes the close relationship between tortoises and ‘tortoise turf’, the low vegetation maintained by grazing. Conserving this giant therefore requires understanding how it uses the atoll’s entire habitat mosaic. [2]
Grazing—and choosing where to graze
It is primarily herbivorous, eating grasses and low-growing vegetation. A habitat-use study found a preference for grasslands, followed by open mixed scrub. Food availability and habitat choice are two sides of the same ecology. [1] [3]
Eggs and population density
The Smithsonian profile reports clutches of 9–25 eggs and an incubation period of approximately four months. Reproduction also varies with population density: island conditions matter as much as the biology of an individual animal. [1]
A life that outlasts a human generation
Longevity figures raise a practical question: who will ensure continuity of care, space and expertise over time? This is not something to consider only when buying a hatchling. This profile invites you to learn about the species, not to acquire one.
Sources and further reading
Research and synthesis: Tartarughe di Terra editorial team · Fondazione I Custodi della Terra ETS. Sources consulted on . Scientific monographs, studies and profiles from zoological institutions are listed here so you can consult the original information.
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (n.d.). Aldabra tortoise. Institutional zoological profile.
- Seychelles Islands Foundation (n.d.). Aldabra. Organisation managing the atoll and its research programmes.
- Walton E.M. et al. (2019). In the land of giants: habitat use and selection of the Aldabra giant tortoise. Biodiversity and Conservation, manuscript available through SIF.
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