Aldabra giant tortoise in Europe

[Kifaru Bwana]

On the back of the news the EAZA has established an EEP for Aldabra giant tortoise and that Zoo Praha has been selected as the species coördinator for the species, I would like to start a thread on the species and its representation in Europe.

LINK: Prague Zoo has become the coordinator of the European ex situ programme fort giant tortoises

It would be interesting to see if we can somehow get the status of the population in a succinct update for every zoo (up to the individual level as giant tortoises often are discussed more elaborately in news papers).

One can think of the Zootierliste, but I would like it to be more elaborate.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

One offshoot and benefit of ex situ interest in giant tortoises that pleases me no end is that attention to exhibits both indoor and outdoor as well as animal welfare have improved significantly. Lately, various zoos and captive-breeding facilities in conventional zoos have actually started updating their facilities and animal management procedures. It is improving, but by a long shot it does require more effort to bring it in line with realistic chances of reproducing giant tortoises ex situ in out of range facilities.

As our well respected authority @CJ (on the subject of in situ conservation action and what captive-breeding and ex situ work can bring to the effort) will acknowledge one of the most succesful facilities in breeding giant tortoises in the Indian Ocean region is on Mauritius. It would be nice if this effort could be replicated in zoos across the globe and that animal welfare and husbandry management take center stage. This is now somewhat assured with the involvement of the expert reptile department at Zoo Praha.

Of particular importance here: A) sufficient size in outdoor and indoor facilities; B) Access to separation areas for male and female giants (to stop males getting the females too stressed out; C) improved nutrition, low non nutriënt rich diet, D) attention to group holdings with more than one male and a good number of females. A fiurher interesting field is to apply genetics to ascertaining that the various island phenotypes within the Aldabra archipelago are correctly maintained in captivity. There seem to be early indicaties at defined differences between various in island populations (Grand Terre versus Malabar and Picard a.o.).

I would hope: the maintenance of singletons, male only giants and lack of proper facilities and unimaginative nutrition will be a thing of the past before long.


Another wishfor: Same applies to Galapagos giant tortoises and the maintenance of collections with purebred and breeding Galapagos.

 

[Jana]

An article about giant tortoises of Indian ocean appeared in one local magazine. It gives short overview of historical Aldabra tortoise population size in European / EAZA zoos according to the studbook kept at Prague zoo.

First import of 2 males into Paris menagerie in early 20th century (one of them is still alive). They were the only known Aldabran tortoises in european zoos till WWII.

1947-1955 - import of another 10 tortoises into several zoos
1975 - circa 75 tortoises were already kept in zoos
1985 - 100 tortoises kept
1995 - 150 tortoises
2005 - 200
2010 - 250
2015 - 300
2020 - almost 400 tortoises kept

Source

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

An article about giant tortoises of Indian ocean appeared in one local magazine. It gives short overview of historical Aldabra tortoise population size in European / EAZA zoos according to the studbook kept at Prague zoo.

First import of 2 males into Paris menagerie in early 20th century (one of them is still alive). They were the only known Aldabran tortoises in european zoos till WWII.

1947-1955 - import of another 10 tortoises into several zoos
1975 - circa 75 tortoises were already kept in zoos
1985 - 100 tortoises kept
1995 - 150 tortoises
2005 - 200
2010 - 250
2015 - 300
2020 - almost 400 tortoises kept

Source

Thanks @Jana, it is most helpful and for sure I will read it and comment constructively on it. I do think that Zoo de Beauval or another zoo bred the species earlier than 2022-23.