50 tortoises to Aride Island

The Indian Ocean Tortoise Alliance and Island Conservation Society (ICS), have successfully re-homed 50 Aldabra giant tortoises on Aride Island.

This was made possible following a generous donation by a private donor based on Mahe, the main island of Seychelles. The tortoises, weighing between 1.5 to 4 kilogrammes, were previously being raised in captivity and have now been allowed to live a free-roaming life in their new environment and will soon become essential to encouraging the ecological balance of the island’s ecosystem.

The translocation process, supported by the Indian Ocean Tortoise Alliance (IOTA), involved micro-chipping each tortoise and recording their vital details, including size measurements and weight. The tortoises were transported via a 15-minute helicopter ride to Aride Island, a granitic island located approximately 9 km north of Praslin, the second most populated island.  

Read more here….

http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/20753/Seychelles%27+conservationists+re-home++Aldabra+giant+tortoises+on+Aride+Island