IOTA hosts Aldabra giant tortoise workshop in Seychelles
In the first week of October, the Indian Ocean Tortoise Alliance (IOTA) hosted the first ever Giant Tortoise Workshop in the Seychelles. The three-day event attracted over 150 participants and aimed to raise awareness about the ecological importance and needs of the endemic Aldabra giant tortoises. Mr. Rodney Quatre, the Director General of the Biodiversity Conservation and Management Division (Ministry of Environment), opened the event with a few words of encouragement; ‘‘This workshop is more than just a meeting of minds—it's a testament to the power of collaboration, knowledge exchange, and shared dedication to saving tortoise species and restoring island ecosystems. It's a story of optimism and progress, one that spans borders and points toward a promising future, where these tortoises have a fighting chance to thrive once more in their natural habitats.’’
The workshop consisted of a Symposium, a Ranger-Training day and a Public Fun Day. At the Symposium, researchers from around the globe shared their knowledge on giant tortoise ecology, conservation and management. Members of the public had the rare opportunity to interact with experts from organisations such as the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the François Leguat Giant Tortoise Reserve, the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation and more. One of the primary aims of the symposium was to generate a discussion about the future of Aldabra giant tortoise conservation in the Seychelles, taking into consideration the successes and challenges of similar projects in the Indian Ocean.
As pointed out by the Director General, ‘‘What makes this workshop truly exceptional is the collaboration across borders. NGOs from Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, and international organisations have come together, recognising that the conservation of the Aldabra giant tortoise is not confined to the shores of Seychelles alone. The shared experience and knowledge exchange will strengthen their collective efforts and enhance conservation outcomes throughout the region.’’
On Ranger-Training Day, IOTA provided demonstrations of how to accurately measure, sex, weigh and microchip an Aldabra giant tortoise. The training was targeted at rangers and conservationists working across the Seychelles. ‘‘Ensuring uniform methods across the various environmental conservation organisations in the country will hopefully facilitate the sharing of data and potential collaborations in future projects.’’ The presentations on Action Day also focused on how to provide adequate care for giant tortoises in captivity, which was targeted at pet owners and licensed breeders.
The final day of the event was a Public Fun Day, where families enjoyed various games, tortoise feeding, a quiz and a short presentation on tortoise care. As part of the workshop, IOTA held three tortoise themed-competitions over the month of October; a primary school drawing competition, a secondary school sculpture-building competition and a photography competition for adults. The winners of these competitions were announced and awarded during the Public Fun Day. ‘‘We were particularly impressed by the enthusiasm and creativity the children displayed in their artwork. In the primary school competition alone, we received over 300 submissions from 19 different schools!’’ The winning photos and art were displayed at the Public Fun Day and are featured on IOTA’s social media platforms.
‘‘We were very pleased with the turnout of the event. The public seemed to have enjoyed the presentations and activities, and it was lovely to see so many children interacting with these gentle giants. We hope the workshop will help to inform future work and improve the welfare conditions of Aldabra giant tortoises in the Seychelles’’.
We would like to thank our sponsors; Creole Travel Services, Cap Lazare Nature Reserve, Seychelles Commercial Bank, Mauritius Commercial Bank, Mason’s Travel, Constance Lemuria, Hilton, Club Med, Coral Strand, Raffles, SeyWei Toys and Semi-Sub, whose generosity not only allowed us to create a more exciting workshop, but also encouraged more children to take part in our competitions.
