Twycross Zoo is home to two remarkable species of tortoises – the Aldabra Tortoise and the African Spurred Tortoise. These captivating creatures offer visitors a unique opportunity to learn about the diverse world of chelonians and their remarkable adaptations.

The Aldabra Tortoise: Giants of the Indian Ocean

The Aldabra Tortoise is one of the largest tortoise species in the world, with a thick, domed shell and robust limbs covered in scales. These impressive animals can live for over 150 years, with the oldest known Aldabra tortoise reaching an astounding 255 years of age. Native to the Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean, these tortoises are social creatures, often gathering in herds in the grasslands.

Fascinating Facts about the Aldabra Tortoise

• Longevity: Aldabra tortoises can live for over 150 years, with the oldest known individual reaching 255 years of age.
• Habitat and Behavior: They are native to the Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean and are known to be social, often gathering in herds in the grasslands.
• Swimming Ability: Aldabra tortoises are good swimmers and can hold their breath for 20-30 minutes.
• Reproduction: These tortoises become sexually mature in their thirties, and mating is a noisy affair with the males bellowing loudly. Females lay 9-25 eggs, with only about half being fertile.
• Diet: Aldabra tortoises primarily consume plants and grasses, but they will also supplement their diet with carrion (dead animals).
• Conservation Status: The Aldabra tortoise is the only African giant tortoise to have survived in the wild, but their population was severely threatened in the past due to hunting for meat. They are now protected and have conservation breeding programs on the island of Mauritius.

The African Spurred Tortoise: The Largest Mainland African Tortoise

The African Spurred Tortoise is the largest mainland African tortoise, surpassed only by its relative, the Aldabra tortoise. These tortoises have a well-camouflaged brown-yellow shell and pale skin, with two or three large spurs on the thighs of their back legs, which is the source of their name.

Fascinating Facts about the African Spurred Tortoise

• Size: The African Spurred Tortoise is the largest mainland African tortoise, surpassed only by the Aldabra tortoise.
• Appearance: These tortoises have a well-camouflaged brown-yellow shell and pale skin, with two or three large spurs on the thighs of their back legs.
• Behavior: African Spurred Tortoises are mostly active during the rainy season when the plants flourish. They are solitary and can behave very aggressively towards each other, especially during the breeding season.
• Reproduction: Females will dig out a selection of burrows before deciding on the one they will use to lay their eggs, which they then bury.
• Diet: Their diet consists of vegetation such as grasses, shrubs, and cacti. As they eat a variety of succulent plants, they don’t need to drink much water.
• Conservation Status: The African Spurred Tortoise is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN, and its population is threatened by habitat loss, capture for the pet trade, and the use of its body parts to make longevity potions.

Twycross Zoo’s Contribution to Tortoise Research

Twycross Zoo is playing a crucial role in a major new study into turtles and tortoises, which has revealed that they follow a different pattern of aging compared to humans and other species. The data recorded by Twycross Zoo in the Species360 Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) has enabled researchers to discover that, unlike humans and other species, turtles and tortoises may reduce the rate of aging in response to improvements in environmental conditions, defying common evolutionary theories.

Plan Your Visit to Twycross Zoo

Visitors can discover more than 400 animals from over 80 different species at Twycross Zoo, including the fascinating Aldabra and African Spurred Tortoises. To plan your visit and book tickets online, go to www.twycrosszoo.org. The zoo is open from 10am to 6pm during the summer and from 10am to 5pm during the winter. Tickets cost £24.95 for adults, £19.95 for children aged 3-16, and £22.95 for concessions. Annual memberships are also available.

References:
– Aldabra Tortoise at Twycross Zoo
– African Spurred Tortoise at Twycross Zoo
– Twycross Zoo Contributes to International Turtle and Tortoise Study
– Plan Your Visit to Twycross Zoo