Reptiles
Aldabra giant tortoise
Aldabrachelys gigantea
The Aldabra giant tortoise is one of the largest tortoises in the world and among the longest-lived of all land animals. Almost the entire population lives on a single Indian Ocean atoll.
In short
The aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) is a species with IUCN conservation status VU (Vulnerable). It lives in the grasslands, mangroves and scrub of Aldabra Atoll, acting as an ‘ecosystem engineer’ by grazing the vegetation. Animals in Black offers a fine-art portrait of it on a black background, available as a print on Hahnemühle paper: request the print.
Habitat & conservation
Where does the aldabra giant tortoise live?
It lives in the grasslands, mangroves and scrub of Aldabra Atoll, acting as an ‘ecosystem engineer’ by grazing the vegetation. With over 100,000 individuals, its population is now stable and protected.
Is the aldabra giant tortoise endangered?
Rated Vulnerable (VU) by the IUCN Red List: the population is large and stable, but concentrated in a single place, which exposes it to catastrophic events and sea-level rise. Back-up populations are maintained elsewhere.
Facts about the aldabra giant tortoise
- Almost the entire species lives on a single atoll.
- It is among the longest-lived land animals: over a century.
- It grazes the vegetation, shaping the whole ecosystem.
Data source: IUCN Red List — Aldabrachelys gigantea (Vulnerable) · IUCN SSC / Reptile Database
RED List
Conservation status codes
- EX Extinct No individuals survive.
- EW Extinct in the wild Survives only in captivity.
- CR Critically endangered Extremely high risk of extinction.
- EN Endangered Very high risk of extinction.
- VU Vulnerable High risk of extinction.
- NT Near threatened Likely to become threatened soon.
- LC Least concern Low risk of extinction.
- DD Data deficient Not enough data to assess.
- NE Not evaluated Not yet assessed by the IUCN.