Seychelles giant tortoise numbers hit record 180,000 in conservation triumph

A survey estimates nearly 183,000 adult and sub-adult Aldabra giant tortoises live on Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles—the largest recorded population of free-roaming giant tortoises. Researchers from the Seychelles Islands Foundation and the University of Exeter analyzed five years of monitoring data collected between 2018 and 2022. The population was relatively stable during that period. The tortoises once numbered fewer than 1,000 after heavy exploitation in the 19th century. Researchers say improved counting methods account for animals missed in earlier surveys.