(EN) Aldabrachelys

Of the three known subspecies of giant tortoises, two were extinct in the wild by the middle of the last century at the latest. In 1955, the planned breeding of animals obtained from private owners began. This was followed by breeding programmes in the Seychelles, which were initiated by private individuals and were very successful. These probably stood in the way of tourism development and were ended in 2010 by ordered evictions. Now zoological institutions and private individuals are again working in a worldwide network to preserve these fantastic creatures, also outside the Seychelles.