Seychelles Giant Tortoises

The family recently went on a holiday to South -Africa and of course with a small child you hunt down the entertainment as soon as possible. The one day we landed ourselves at Mitchell Park in a suburb of Durban KwaZulu Natal. Now I can still recall going to this park as a young child myself, so it was a great blast from the past and even more special sharing it with my little one. But I was even more surprised to come across The Seychelles Aldabra Giant Tortoises that I had totally forgotten lived at this Park.

So as you can imagine I was so thrilled and excited to share my wonderful day with all.

The story behind the oldest resident of the Park namely the Male Seychelles Giant Tortoise is that he came to live in the park in 1915 after being left behind by a sailor on shore leave. The Seychelles government then donated a female giant Tortoise to the then President of South Africa Nelson Mandela so the oldest resident got to have a mate at long last.

Seychelles Giant Tortoises in South Africa

Aldabra Giant Tortoise – Scientific name -Dipsochelys Dussumieri


Length up to: 1-4m


Weight up to: 250kgs

Identification: Unmistakable: A huge slow moving tortoise( you can say that again!). Individuals may live for over 100 years.


Description:  A very large tortoise with a high domed, dark grey brown carapace and very thick, wrinkled greyish skin. Males are larger than females, with a longer tail and a depression on their underside. The front legs are club-shaped and the back legs are thick and sturdy in order to support the considerable weight of the body (up to 250kgs). The head is large and blunt, on a long, thick retractable neck. The eyes are dark and the nostrils are large and uppermost on the head.


Voice: When frightened tortoises quickly pull their heads into their shell, making a hissing sound as they expel air from their lungs. Males roar loudly during copulation, females are silent.
Behaviour: Most active during the cooler parts of the day, particularly early in the morning and late afternoon, seeking shade and resting during the heat of the day. They are entirely herbivorous. At Chalets Anse Forbans we feed our tortoises grass, fruit and their favourite is the jamlac from the garden. Do feel free to feed the tortoise but watch out they do have teeth!! Aldabra Giant Land Tortoises can swim well but only walk slowly on land. Individuals rarely socialise other than during mating.


Breeding: Mating normally occurs towards the end of the northwest monsoon (February- May) with eggs laying occurring during the drier south east monsoon ( June-Sept). Females lay 10-25 eggs in a nest- hole excavated at night and covered with sand. The eggs take 70-160 days to hatch depending on the temperature and the 70mm long hatchlings emerge at night.

Seychelles Giant Tortoises at Chalets d' Anse Forbans

Aldabra Tortoises at Chalets d' Anse Forbans Seychelles

But the good news is you do not have to go to South Africa to see the Giant Tortoises of the Seychelles as at Chalets d' Anse Forbans we have our favourite 4 legged friends as well. Meet Jean Baptise, Josephine, Coco, Savage,Toby  And Tortie. They are all our Aldabra Giant Tortoises and can be found at Chalets Anse Forbans.

Book your Seychelles Vacation at Chalets d' Anse Forbans. Chalets d' Anse Forbans offers Seychelles Self Catering Beach Bungalows on the secluded beach of Anse Forbans.