Aldabra Atoll homeland expedition

[Jemo]

As promised a new post about our 2015 spring expedition to Aldabra Atoll .

A very remote and really very hard to reach place to reach on our planet!!

Maybe the Picture above can help with setting up the substrate for yor enclosure??

If you have any questions or want to see Special pictures, I will try to answer as far as my time allows it.

Jemo

 

[Jemo]

can anybody tell me how to format the post, first the text and then the Picture??

Jemo

 

[wellington]

All I know is to post the picture after your text. I tried to fix it for you, but all your text doesn't show for me for some reason. @jaizei or @Yvonne G might be able to help.

Now for the pic, wow, what a ruff substrate that is. Is that really what was on most places that the Aldabras were? Please share as many pics as possible.

 

[ben awes]

Can't wait to see more!

 

[Yvonne G]

As promised a new post about our 2015 spring expedition to Aldabra Atoll .

A very remote and really very hard to reach place to reach on our planet!!

Maybe the Picture above can help with setting up the substrate for yor enclosure??

If you have any questions or want to see Special pictures, I will try to answer as far as my time allows it.

Jemo

View attachment 125051

That looks like hardened lava. What a terribly rough surface for them to have to walk on.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Aldabra is a coral atoll, not volcanic so it isn't lava.
I have never been, but my geology books tell me it is made from phosphorites, calcarenites and corallian limestones.
Looking at this wonderful photo I would say that this is the latter.
Still, the comment still applies, it must be hard on their poor tootsies.

 

[Jemo]

Aldabra atoll group
(+Asumption, Cosmoledo, Astove, where all we find populations of intoduced tortoises)
is so inhostil that it is impossible to descibe.

Of course it is corallic origin, but very different to most well known Atolls, it rise and sunk 6-8 times obove the sea Level mean the last ice-Ages.
So nowadays we have an rocky altitude up to 8 meters (that is much!) composed of different layers of different hardness and the coralic limestone in total is harder than at other coralic Atolls.

Due to Erosion nowadays we find extrem sharp edges and pinacles. The tortoises walk on TOP of them as if it was butter.
They have incredeble hard feet!! They do not try to avoid to step on the pinacles.

But for resting they are heading to softer places.

here is an other example of the so called "chamignon" rock without tortoise:





in reality the rock is MORE sharp than it Looks in the Picture. It will cut strong leather Walking boots in one day!



Jemo

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Very interesting.
Thanks.

 

[ben awes]

Jemo, love this thread - just want more more more, a lot more photos! Whatever you've got of their habitats, behavior, and just them.

Did you do any field measuring or size documentation? Weight estimation?

Are you going to be publishing a paper, a documentary, an article at some point?

Thanks,
Ben

 

[Tom]

I agree. Fascinating stuff. Reminds me of the Galapagos tortoises walking on their sharp lava rocks.

I read an article about how important it is to correctly maintain the feet of the giant species of island tortoises in captivity and how they can get out of hand due to overly soft substrate. Some people have to file down their tortoises nails and feet to keep things aligned properly.

Pictures of this sort of rough terrain would explain why there is such a problem in captivity.

Thank you for sharing Jemo.

 

[Soefianto]

Hi Jemo,
Is that means the Aldabra can swim the ocean?
As it is so close to the ocean, shouldn't they have the ability to swim?
Just curious??

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I'm close to the air. I should have the ability to fly. Sorry. Lol.

 

[Jemo]

Hi Jemo,
Is that means the Aldabra can swim the ocean?
As it is so close to the ocean, shouldn't they have the ability to swim?
Just curious??

Yes.
They are excellent swimmers and according to the local stuff they swim in th ocean regularly.

You can find some pictutes on the SIF Homepage or Video on arkive.org "aldabra Swimming"

http://www.arkive.org/aldabra-giant-tortoise/geochelone-gigantea/image-G6305.html

 

[Soefianto]

Wow...
Thanks Jemo, you just confirmed it...

 

[Jemo]

I have been asked to show some more Pictures of Aldabra Homeland.
So i think best to reopen this post i started some time ago

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Adjectives :
"Rugged"
"Bleak"
"BEAUTIFUL" ! ! !

 

[Jemo]

Adjectives :
"Rugged"
"Bleak"
"BEAUTIFUL" ! ! !

Thanks!

 

[Jemo]

the hot miday time the rest and sleep near thr seashore in the mangroves
Some of them we find at the same places without moving for many days.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Great information. Keep the photos coming.

 

[Jemo]

Great information. Keep the photos coming.

Isn´t this ideal Terrain for giant tortoises??


It is always sad to see such a unlucky tortoise! Life is dangerous there.