Antipredator response of free-roaming Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) with implications for responsible wildlife
tourism in the Seychelles islands

Walton, Ben; Baxter, Richard P

Abstract

I investigated the responses of Aldabra giant tortoises (Aldabrachelys gigantea) to human approach. Sex and ambient temperature were not found to have a significant effect on the distance at which tortoises became alert to human approach or the distance at which they initiated their characteristic head withdrawal response. Larger tortoises (measured by curved carapace length) became alert to human approach at greater distances, however there was no relationship between size and head withdrawal distance. I recommend that buffer zones of at least five meters should be implemented where human-tortoise contact is high, to reduce unnecessary stress and minimise effects on their behaviour. I also discuss the possible impacts of tourism on the ecosystem-restoration
potential of Aldabra giant tortoises.

Citation

tourism in the Seychelles islands

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: 2019
• Deposit Date: Oct 29, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 2, 2023
• Journal: Phelsuma
• Volume: 27
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: 1
• Pages: 1-9
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1286504
• Publisher URL: https://islandbiodiversity.com/Phelsuma27a.pdf