Tortoises and Turtles

Spot the tortoises and turtles of Bird Island.

With around 22 free roaming tortoises on the island you will never run short of these placid friendly creatures to observe. The tortoises found on the island are mainly Giant Aldabra Tortoises, with Esmeralda being the oldest and heaviest of the bunch. These ancient reptiles are mostly herbivores, feeding on grass, leaves, and various plants. They tend to eat in the mornings and evenings when it is cooler and to rest in shaded areas during the warmer periods of the day.

If you are more fond of their cousins, the turtles, then you should look seaward and try out a bit of turtle spotting at Passe Coco. Here, you will often find juvenile green turtles feeding on the thalassia sea beds. If you’re lucky you may even get to swim with a few.

Learn more about turtle monitoring and protection here.