Giant tortoises thrive on a protected Seychelles atoll
保護されたセーシェルの環礁で、ゾウガメが元気に暮らすほっこり
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- The Guardian
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- 🇸🇨 Seychelles
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英語本文
A new survey has brought encouraging news about giant tortoises in Seychelles. Researchers estimate that roughly 180,000 live freely on Aldabra Atoll. The study used counts collected between 2018 and 2022, rather than counting every animal at once. Its estimate is the highest recorded for this species and exceeds the country’s human population.
The findings reflect many years of protection. Heavy exploitation once left fewer than 1,000 tortoises on the island in the 19th century. Aldabra later became a strict nature reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Dense vegetation makes animals difficult to spot, so researchers modelled both the tortoises observed and those likely to have remained unseen.
Conservation teams welcome the result, but say protection must continue. Drought can reduce shade and food, while rising seas threaten low ground. Feral cats and rats also attack eggs and young tortoises. The population estimate gives managers a clearer starting point for tracking future changes and helping this slow-moving island community continue to thrive.