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Aldabra giant tortoise

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Aldabra giant tortoise
Seychellen-Riesenschildkroete Aldabrachelys gigantea Tierpark Hellabrunn-6.jpg
Conservation status

Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)[1]


Scientific classificationedit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Aldabrachelys
Species: A. gigantea
Binomial name
Aldabrachelys gigantea
(Schweigger, 1812)
Synonyms[5]
Testudo gigantea
Schweigger, 1812: 327[2]
Testudo dussumieri
Schlegel in Gray, 1830: 3 (nomen nudum)
Testudo dussumieri � Gray, 1831d: 9 (nomen rejectum, ICZN 2013)
Testudo elephantina
A.M.C. Dum�ril & Bibron, 1835: 110[3]
Testudo ponderosa
G�nther, 1877: 35[4]
Testudo sumeirei Sauzier, 1892: 396
Testudo gouffei Rothschild, 1906: 753
File:Aldabrachelys gigantea - tobu zoo - 2012.ogv
(video) A pair of Aldabra giant tortoises at Tobu Zoo in Saitama, Japan.
The Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea), from the islands of the
Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, is one of the largest tortoises in the world.[6]
Historically, giant tortoises were on many of the western Indian Ocean islands, as
well as Madagascar, and the fossil record indicates giant tortoises once occurred
on every continent and many islands with the exception of Australia and Antarctica.
[7] Many of the Indian Ocean species were thought to be driven to extinction by
over-exploitation by European sailors, and they were all seemingly extinct by 1840
with the exception of the Aldabran giant tortoise on the island atoll of Aldabra.
[8] Although some remnant individuals of A. g. hololissa and A. g. arnoldi may
remain in captivity,[8] in recent times, these have all been reduced as subspecies
of A. g. gigantea.[5]

Contents
1 Description
2 Nomenclature and systematics
3 Range and distribution
4 Ecology
4.1 Habitat
4.2 Feeding ecology
4.3 Tortoise turf
5 Behavior
6 Life history
7 Breeding
8 Conservation
9 References
10 External links
Description

A skeleton of Aldabra giant tortoise found in Cousin Island (Seychelles).


The carapace is a brown or tan color with a high, domed shape. It has stocky,
heavily scaled legs to support its heavy body. The neck of the Aldabra giant
tortoise is very long, even for its great size, which helps the animal to exploit
tree branches up to a meter from the ground as a food source. Similar in size to
the famous Gal�pagos giant tortoise, its carapace averages 122 cm (48 in) in length
with an average weight of 250 kg (550 lb). Females are generally smaller than
males, with average specimens measuring 91 cm (36 in) in length and weighing 159 kg
(351 lb).[9] Medium-sized specimens in captivity were reported as 70 to 110 kg (150
to 240 lb) in body mass.[10] Another study found body masses of up to 132 kg (291
lb) most commonplace.[11]

Nomenclature and systematics


This species is widely referred to as Aldabrachelys gigantea, but in recent times,
attempts were made to use the name Dipsochelys as Dipsochelys dussumieri, but after
a debate that lasted two years with many submissions, the ICZN eventually decided
to conserve the name Testudo gigantea over this recently used name (ICZN 2013)[12]
this also affected the genus name for the species, establishing Aldabrachelys
gigantea as nomen protectum.

Four subspecies are currently recognized:[5]

A. g. gigantea Schweigger 1812:327,[2] Aldabra giant tortoise from the Seychelles


island of Aldabra
A. g. arnoldi Bour 1982:118,[13] Arnold�s giant tortoise from the Seychelles island
of Mah�
A. g. daudinii� Dum�ril and Bibron 1835:123,[3] Daudin�s giant tortoise, from the
Seychelles island of Mah� (extinct 1850)[5]
A. g. hololissa G�nther 1877:39,[4] Seychelles giant tortoise, from the Seychelles
islands of Cerf, Cousine, Fr�gate, Mah�, Praslin, Round, and Silhouette
Range and distribution

An isolated population resides on Changuu island in Zanzibar

A. gigantea on Moyenne (Seychelles, March 2016)


The main population of the Aldabra giant tortoise resides on the islands of the
Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. The atoll has been protected from human influence
and is home to some 100,000 giant tortoises, the world's largest population of the
animal.[14] Smaller populations of A. gigantea in the Seychelles exist in the
Sainte Anne Marine National Park (e.g. Moyenne Island).[15], and on La Digue, where
they are a popular tourist attraction. Another isolated population of the species
resides on the island of Changuu, near Zanzibar, and other captive populations
exist in conservation parks in Mauritius and Rodrigues. The tortoises exploit many
different kinds of habitat, including grasslands, low scrub, mangrove swamps, and
coastal dunes.

Ecology
Habitat
A peculiar habitat has coevolved due to the grazing pressures of the tortoises:
"tortoise turf", a comingling of 20+ species of grasses and herbs. Many of these
distinct plants are naturally dwarfed and grow their seeds not from the tops of the
plants, but closer to the ground to avoid the tortoises' close-cropping jaws.

As the largest animal in its environment, the Aldabra tortoise performs a role
similar to that of the elephant. Their vigorous search for food fells trees and
creates pathways used by other animals.

Feeding ecology

A giant tortoise browsing leaves


Primarily herbivores, Aldabra giant tortoises eat grasses, leaves, and woody plant
stems. They occasionally indulge in small invertebrates and carrion, even eating
the bodies of other dead tortoises. In captivity, Aldabra giant tortoises are known
to consume fruits such as apples and bananas, as well as compressed vegetable
pellets.

Little fresh water is available for drinking in the tortoises' natural habitat, so
they obtain most of their moisture from their food.

The Aldabra tortoise has two main varieties of shells. Specimens living in habitats
with food available primarily on the ground have more dome-shaped shells with the
front extending downward over the neck. Those living in an environment with food
available higher above the ground have more flattened top shells with the front
raised to allow the neck to extend upward freely.

Tortoise turf
The Aldabra giant tortoise is a herbivorous animal, spending much of its time
browsing for food in its surrounding well-vegetated environment. The Aldabra giant
tortoise is known to be found in places that are commonly known as "tortoise turf".
Tortoise turf is composed of:[16][17]

Bacopa monnieri
Boerhavia elegans
Bulbostylis basalis
Cassia aldabrensis
Cyperus dubius
Cyperus ligularis
Cyperus obtusiflorus
Dactyloctenium pilosum
Eragrostis decumbens
Euphorbia prostrata
Euphorbia stoddartii
Evolvulus alsinoides
Fimbristylis cymosa
Fimbristylis ferruginea
Hypoestes aldabrensis
Lagrezia madagascariensis
Lepturus repens
Mollugo spergula
Panicum aldabrense
Phyllanthus maderaspatensis
Pleurostelma cernuum
Plumbaga aphylla
Pycreus pumilus
Ruellia monanthos
Sclerodactylon macrostachyum
Sida parvifolia
Solanum nigrum
Sporobolus testudinum
Sporobolus virginicus
Tephrosia pumila
Behavior

Aldabra giant tortoise foot, an efficient digging tool


Aldabra tortoises are found both individually and in herds, which tend to gather
mostly on open grasslands. They are most active in the mornings, when they spend
time browsing for food. They dig burrows or rest in swamps to keep cool during the
heat of the day.

While they are characteristically slow and cautious, they are capable of
appreciable speed. They are also known to attempt perilous acrobatic feats, rising
precariously on their hind legs to reach low branches.[citation needed] They risk
death by tipping onto their backs and being unable to right themselves. This
unusual behavior led Mexican biologist Jos� Antonio de Alzate y Ram�rez to refer to
the Aldabra as the "ninjas" of the tortoise world.

Life history

Tortoise at Aldabra Atoll


Large tortoises are among the longest-lived animals. Some individual Aldabra giant
tortoises are thought to be over 200 years of age, but this is difficult to verify
because they tend to outlive their human observers. Adwaita was reputedly one of
four brought by British seamen from the Seychelles Islands as gifts to Robert Clive
of the British East India Company in the 18th century, and came to Calcutta Zoo in
1875. At his death in March 2006 at the Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) Zoo in India,
Adwaita is reputed to have reached the longest ever measured lifespan of 255 years
(birth year 1750).[18] Today, Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise (A. g.
hololissa), is thought to be the oldest living giant tortoise at the age of 187
years [19] and Esmeralda is second at the age of 175 years, since the death of
Harriet at 176, a Galapagos giant tortoise. Esmeralda is an Aldabra giant tortoise.

Breeding

Mating Aldabra giant tortoises


Between February and May, females lay between 9 and 25 rubbery eggs in a shallow,
dry nest. Usually, less than half of the eggs are fertile. Females can produce
multiple clutches of eggs in a year. After incubating for about eight months, the
tiny, independent young hatch between October and December.[20]

In captivity, oviposition dates vary. Tulsa Zoo[21] maintains a small herd of


Aldabra tortoises and they have reproduced several times since 1999. One female
typically lays eggs in November and again in January, providing the weather is warm
enough to go outside for laying. The zoo also incubates their eggs artificially,
keeping two separate incubators at 27 �C (81 �F) and 30 �C (86 �F). On average, the
eggs kept at the latter temperature hatch in 107 days.[22]

Conservation
The Aldabra giant tortoise has an unusually long history of organized conservation.
Albert Gunther of the British Museum, who later moved to the Natural History Museum
of London (enlisting Charles Darwin and other famous scientists to help him) worked
with the government of Mauritius to establish a preserve at the end of the 19th
century. The related, but distinct, species of giant tortoise from the Seychelles
islands (Seychelles giant tortoise A. g. hololissa and Arnold's giant tortoise A.
g. arnoldi) are the subject of a captive-breeding and reintroduction program by the
Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles.[23][24]

References
Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (1996). "Geochelone gigantea". The
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 1996: e.T9010A12949962.
doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9010A12949962.en. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
Schweigger, Augustus F. 1812. Prodromus monographiae Cheloniorum. K�nigsberger
Archiv f�r Naturwissenschaft und Mathematik 1:271�368, 406�462.
Dum�ril, Andr� Marie Constant, and Bibron, Gabriel. 1835. Erp�tologie G�n�rale ou
Histoire Naturelle Compl�te des Reptiles. Tome Second. Paris: Roret, 680 pp.
G�nther, Albert C.L.G. 1877. The Gigantic Land-Tortoises (Living and Extinct) in
the Collection of the British Museum. London: Taylor and Francis, 96 pp.
Turtle Taxonomy Working Group [van Dijk, P.P., Iverson, J.B., Rhodin, A.G.J.,
Shaffer, H.B., and Bour, R.]. 2014. Turtles of the world, 7th edition: annotated
checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution with maps, and conservation status.
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K.A., Iverson, J.B., and Mittermeier, R.A. (Eds.). Conservation Biology of
Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise
and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. Chelonian Research Monographs
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Pritchard, Peter C.H. Encyclopedia of Turtles. Neptune, New Jersey: T.F.H.
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Palkovacs, E., Gerlach, J. and Caccone, A. 2002. The evolutionary origin of Indian
Ocean tortoises (Dipsochelys). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 24:216�227
Palkovacs, E., Marschner, M., Ciofi, C., Gerlach, J. and Caccone, A. 2003. Are the
native giant tortoises from the Seychelles really extinct? A genetic perspective
based on mtDNA and microsatellite data.Molecular Ecology (2003) 12:1403�1413 doi:
10.1046/j.1365-294X.2003.01834.x
"ANIMAL BYTES � Aldabra Tortoise". Seaworld.org. Archived from the original on
2018-02-03. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
Hansen, D. M., Kaiser, C. N., & M�ller, C. B. (2008). Seed dispersal and
establishment of endangered plants on oceanic islands: the Janzen-Connell model,
and the use of ecological analogues. PLoS One, 3(5), e2111.
Hughes, G. M., Gaymer, R., MOORE, M., & Woakes, A. J. (1971). Respiratory exchange
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International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature [ICZN]. 2013. Opinion 2316
(Case 3463). Testudo gigantea Schweigger, 1812 (currently Geochelone
(Aldabrachelys) gigantea; Reptilia, Testudines): usage of the specific name
conserved by maintenance of a designated neotype, and suppression of Testudo
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Bour, Roger (1982). "Contribution � la connaisance des tortues terrestres des
Seychelles: d�finition du genre end�mique et description d�une esp�ce nouvelle
probablement originaire des �les grantiques et bord de l�extinction ". Comptes
Rendus de l�Acad�mie des Sciences 295: 117�122. (Dipsochelys arnoldi, new species,
p. 118). (in French).
Payne, Roger (2004-04-05). "Losing Aldabra". Voyage of the Odyssey. PBS. Retrieved
2008-10-21.
"Marine Parks: St. Anne". Seychelles National Parks Authority. Archived from the
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Grubb, P. The Growth, Ecology and Population Structure of Giant Tortoises on
Aldabra. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond. B, Vol. 260, 1971, pp. 327�372.
Hnatiuk, R.J. and L.F.H. Merton, Vegetation of Aldabra, a Reassessment. Atoll
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ninemsn Pickle. - Australia (2016-03-25). "Tortoise has his first bath in 184
years". Pickle. ninemsn. Archived from the original on 2016-03-27. Retrieved 2016-
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Collins, Dave. "Captive Breeding and Management of the Aldabra Tortoise".
Presented to 8th International Herpetological Symposium, Jacksonville Zoo,
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