Aldabra atoll is an oceanic island ecosystem inhabited by giant tortoises and 400 other endemic species and subspecies. Aldabra atoll world heritage site pictures, info and. It is located in a very remote part of the eastern indian ocean, about 1,000 km westsouthwest of the main. Aldabra atoll is a windswept, unwelcomingcrumbofland,floatinginopen ocean far from anywhere and coveredwithrazor. The atoll consists of four fairly large islands, enclosed by a coral reef around a shallow lagoon. A slim volume that can be interpreted in many ways, it speaks to some of. Its unique ecosystem evolved in near isolation for 125,000 years the atoll is located in the indian ocean. Aldabra atoll seychelles holiday destination ati holidays. A total of 832 goats was killed on aldabra using the judas goat technique and traditional hunting methods. The aldabra islands were formerly under the hegemony of the. You might be surprised to know that there are some 150,000 giant tortoises that make the aldabra atoll their home, which is the largest population of these creatures found anywhere on the planet. Due to difficulties of access and the atolls isolation, aldabra has been protected from human influence and thus retains some 152,000 giant tortoises, the worlds largest population of this.
Aldabra atoll, a unesco world heritage marine site in the seychelles, is the worlds largest raised atoll. Aldabra is a large raised atoll located 1150 km southwest of mahe and 420 km north of madagascar. Aldabra islands, atoll, one of the worlds largest, in the indian ocean about 600 miles 1,000 km southwest of the seychelles group, and part of the republic of the seychelles. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. The aldabras, together with farquhar and desroches islands and the chagos archipelago, formed part of the british indian ocean territory from 1965 to 1976. Due to difficulties of access and the atolls isolation, aldabra atoll is. The atoll consists of a group of four larger islands. How evolution brought a flightless bird back from extinction. Aldabra atoll, located in the aldabra group of islands in the western indian ocean and part of the outer islands of the seychelles figure 1, is one of the most special places on earth. Aldabra giant tortoise aldabrachelys gigantea is endemic to aldabra atoll in seychelles. Approached at sea level it is more remarkable still, a protected paradise where nature has been left to form and crumble, grow, wither and regrow, undisturbed by human meddling.
From above, the aldabra atoll looks like a giant green fortress, adrift in the indian ocean. Aldabra, the tortoise who loved shakespeare hardcover april 1, 2004. Aldabra atoll has always been tucked away from human interventionso its no wonder that more than 150,000 tortoises find refuge on the sandy shores of one of the. Aldabra is one of the largest coral atolls in the world, a ring of four islands enclosing a shallow tropical lagoon, surrounded by a fringing reef. The way to outsmart death, elisa dear, is to turn into something else, says elisas. The control of feral goats capra hircus was studied on aldabra atoll, republic of seychelles, from october 1993 to may 1994 and november 1994 to may 1995. These tropical islands have been used by people for. Aldabra atoll is located in the indian ocean, 420 km northeast of madagascar and 1,100 km southwest of the seychelles, and is a unique nature reserve, which is still untouched by civilization. Aldabra is one of the worlds largest raised coral atolls comprised of four main islands that rise to an average of only 8 m above sea level. Aldabra atoll seychelles aldabra is one of the most isolated ecoregions on earth and its second largest raised atoll reef. Aldabra atoll the atoll is comprised of four large coral islands which enclose a shallow lagoon. It is situated in the aldabra group of islands in the indian ocean that are part. Aldabra synonyms, aldabra pronunciation, aldabra translation, english dictionary definition of aldabra. Unesco world heritage site 1982, aldabra atoll, natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty, example represents significant ongoing ecological and biological processes, significant natural habitats for insitu conservation of biological diversity.
Owing to its isolation, lack of water and difficulty of access, human influence on aldabra has been relatively little. Cruises to aldabra, the worlds largest raised coral atoll, with one of the finest tropical ecosystems, are finally being resumed from seychelles main island of mahe, now that the threat posed by somaliabased pirates has abated. Due to its remoteness and inaccessibility, the atoll has remained largely untouched by. The scrubs, mangrove swamps, coastal dunes and the flat grasslands also known as the platins, abound in this particular region and present the perfect grazing grounds to feed, flourish and carry. Aldabra, the second largest coral atoll in the world sits in the indian ocean, 265 miles from the nearest landmass, allowing the small island to remain virtually untouched throughout history. The name aldabra was given by early arabian visitors. Today i want to write about a big lumbering tortoise called the aldabra giant tortoise.
This is the first book to be written about a living natural history museum tucked away in a last corner of the indian ocean. Aldabra also has a human story running alongside that of the turtle and the giant tortoise and sometimes mans intervention has verged on the disastrous. The aldabra atoll site in the seychelles was inscribed on the world heritage list in 1982. Information and translations of aldabra in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Some scholars assume that austronesian seafarers and later maldivian and arab traders were the first to visit the uninhabited seychelles. Aldabra tortoise aldabrachelys gigantea about animals. Twentyeight goats equipped with radio transmitters judas goats were used to locate and kill other feral goats. The aldabra whitethroated rail dryolimnas cuvieri aldabranus is confined to middle island c. It has been described as one of the wonders of the world by sir david attenborough aldabra marine programme undated. Located in the indian ocean, the aldabra atoll is an outstanding example of a raised coral atoll.
The aldabra tortoise flourishes in the scattered coral atoll islands of seychelles, an island that is located in the western part of the indian ocean. The absolute maximum age of the aldabra atoll is unknown, but inferences made from sealevel highstands dating back 400 000 years before present ybp show that the aldabra platform was subject. Aldabra atoll seychelles african world heritage sites. Welcome to aldabra seychelles islands foundation sif. A family secret, a miraculous transformation, an internet stranger, a friendly american scientist, and a girl with the strength to make it all come out right. Seychelles were uninhabited throughout most of recorded history. Aldabra has been described as one of the wonders of the world by sir david attenborough as its isolation in a remote area of the indian ocean, combined with an inhospitable. Comprised of four large coral islands that are surrounded by a coral reef, there is also an enclosed shallow lagoon in the center of the atoll. The atoll makes up about one third of seychelles land mass.
The island ecosystem of aldabra is of great interest to biologists. The site is comprised of a coral reef surrounding four large coral islands, which enclose a shallow lagoon. Uninhabited and extremely isolated, aldabra is virtually untouched by humans. It is unique among elevated atolls both in its relatively. A new study suggests these giant tortoises might once have been hunted by giant, prehistoric crocodiles. Aldabra atoll is known as the second largest coral atoll in the world which is located in the indian ocean, part of the archipelago island nation of the republic of seychelles. Aldabra lies in the indian ocean, and belongs to the seychelles.
Historically, giant tortoises were found on many of the western indian ocean islands, as well as madagascar, and the fossil record indicates giant tortoises once occurred on every continent and many islands with the exception of australia. It is formed of four large coral islands which enclose a shallow lagoon surrounded by reefs. For men it is an achievement just to stay alive on aldabra, but for the tortoises and birds it is a paradise. Stoddart will return with the royal society expedition to aldabra this summer. Aldabra, the tortoise who loved shakespeare by silvana. This assumption is based on the discovery of tombs, visible until 1910. An aldabran giant tortoise from the aldabra atoll in the indian ocean, feeding on algae. The aldabra seychelles giant tortoises certainly appreciate the fact that tourism and overall human intervention is limited on their atoll. The aldabra giant tortoise aldabrachelys gigantea, from the islands of the aldabra atoll in the seychelles, is one of the largest tortoises in the world. The authors visited the island during 1966, and dr. Aldabra definition of aldabra by the free dictionary. It has distinctive island fauna including the aldabra giant tortoise aldabrachelys. It is said to be one of the largest species of tortoises on planet and also one of the worlds longest living animals can live above 200 years.
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