Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: DTE
Context: A project spanning six years has successfully reintroduced Aldabra giant tortoises to Madagascar, potentially leading to thousands of these megaherbivores repopulating the island for the first time in 600 years.
- This initiative aims to restore the island’s degraded ecosystems, including forests, grasslands, and shrublands, which were previously maintained by giant tortoises.
Reintroducing the Aldabra giants could contribute to re-establishing habitat mosaics across Madagascar, benefiting biodiversity, and tourism, and potentially mitigating the impacts of climate change.
The Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) is a species of tortoise native to the Seychelles. It’s one of the world’s largest land tortoises, with males weighing up to 550 pounds and measuring up to 4 feet long. Aldabra tortoises can live to be over 150 years old, making them one of the longest-living animals on earth.
