Giant tortoise population on Aldabra Atoll reaches record 180,000

A landmark survey by the Seychelles Islands Foundation and University of Exeter found approximately 180,000 Aldabra giant tortoises on Aldabra Atoll, the highest population ever recorded for the species. The atoll's tortoise population was reduced to fewer than 1,000 in the 19th century and has recovered to exceed the human population of the Seychelles.

The new figure does not represent a near-doubling since 1999. Earlier surveys did not account for tortoises hidden in dense vegetation; the new estimate uses sophisticated statistical modelling that corrects for missed animals, suggesting previous figures were underestimates.