In 1997, when private investors bought the island for ecotourism and rewilding, few giant tortoises were left. This meant the ecosystem services they once provided, such as seed dispersal and enriching the soil, were also absent. Since then, people from neighbouring islands have been donating their tortoises to the Island, to help restore the native ecosystem.<\/p>\n
Most recently, 50 Aldabra giant tortoises from Mah\u00e9 have been released, as part of a project led by the Indian Ocean Tortoise Alliance (IOTA) and North Island Environment Department.<\/p>\n
Many of the reptiles were cherished family companions. Donors describe giving them up as emotional but meaningful, an act of responsibility towards future generations. \u201cAfter careful reflection, I decided to relocate my tortoises from a sheltered home to a more natural space,\u201d says Savita Parrekh, who lives in Mah\u00e9. \u201cTrue care means enabling animals to thrive the way nature intended. I\u2019m proud they can now help restore an island.\u201d<\/p>\n Before the tortoises left Mah\u00e9, they were microchipped for the national tortoise census and fed only native leaves to prevent the spread of invasive plant species via their droppings. They underwent two quarantines, one in Mah\u00e9 and one on North Island, before taking their first steps into their new wild home.<\/p>\n Now, every day, they walk a little farther and explore a little more. \u201cAfter months of planning, seeing them walk free was incredibly rewarding,\u201d says IOTA assistant project officer Santosh Albert.<\/p>\n The new recruits bring the number of Aldabra giant tortoises now living on North Island to well over 200. Hopes are high that the new arrivals will settle in and breed, as former arrivals have done before them. Albert adds; \u201cMoments like that remind you why conservation matters, because these islands are our home and keeping them healthy benefits us all.\u201d<\/p>\n