Aldabra Giant Tortoise

Aldabra giant tortoise at Paignton Zoo, Devon

Class: Reptiles
Order: Testudines
Family: Testudinidae

Paignton Zoo is home to five Aldabra giant tortoises; males Elvis and Timmy, and females Miley, Cleo and Dora.

Our gentle giants are very special as they were confiscated by Customs from an illegal importation back in 1986. They’ve been enjoying a peaceful life at the zoo ever since!

The Aldabra giant tortoise lives in open grassy areas with trees and bushes, scrubland and mangrove swamps, on the islands of the Aldabra atoll in the Seychelles.

In the wild they feed primarily on vegetation, but they are opportunistic and will also feed on invertebrates and carrion. Our group feed on a mixture of vegetation, including grass, browse and plants, and green vegetables.

Conservation

The Aldabra Atoll is protected by the Seychelles Islands Foundation. There are some conservation breeding programmes mainly on the Seychelles and Mauritius, to protect this species and ensure its survival. Their current threats include climate change, habitat destruction and hunting.