Johnathan Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa) in Curieuse Island.
Giant tortoises are characteristic reptiles of certain tropical islands. Often reaching enormous size—they can weigh as much as 300 kg (660 lbs) and can grow to be m (4 ft) long—they live, or lived (some species are recently extinct), in the Seychelles, the Mascarenes and the Galapagos. Today, the world's largest population inhabits Aldabra Atoll in Seychelles, where there are approximately 150,000 individuals. Although appearing similar, the tortoises represent separate branches of evolution. The Seychelles and Mascarenes tortoises derive from nearby Madagascar, while the Galapagos tortoises came from nearby Ecuador.
Size: 2848px × 4288px
Location: La Digue, Seychelles
Photo credit: © massimiliano finzi / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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