New homes for the Seychelles giant tortoises
The decision of the Islands Development Company to evict NPTS from Silhouette island by March 2011 and the incomprehensible refusal to have wild tortoises on the island has forced us to find new homes for the tortoises. Fortunately Cousine island has agreed to provide new homes for the hololissa tortoises and North island the arnoldi tortoises. Had we been able to release them on Silhouette island we would have established separate wild populations of the two types, now they will be mixed with the Aldabra tortoises that are already on Cousine and North.We take consolation from the fact that we have produced a new generation of 160 young tortoises which will live on for at least 100 years. In that time there may be an opportunity to establish pure populations of these tortoises; fortunately these animals live longer than short-term management and development perspectives.On 4th February 2011 the first of the arnoldis were moved.
The first eight tortoises starting their journey
Leaving Silhouette for their new life on North
Arrival on North