leguat

navigate by keyword : 1800 africa african aldabra aldabrachelys and animals around atoll backed background big body breeding brown carapace cave claws color colour conservation creature cylindraspis digging domed downpour dry during ecology efficient elongated extinct extinction field find francois from giant gigantea grass habitat head heavily heavy indian indigenous island islands large largest leguat lived living longest loose mauritius muscles neck ocean originate originating pebble peltastes planet rain raining reflection reflective reptile reptiles reserve rock rodrigues saddle scaled seychelles shade shape shell skin slow stocky stone stretched strong support survival tan tool tortoise tortoises trying turf vosmaeri water went wet world

A standing Aldabra giant tortoise with her four strong legs Royalty Free Stock Photo

An Aldabra giant tortoise soaking in a puddle of water after a heavy rain Royalty Free Stock Photo

Close up View of A standing Aldabra giant tortoise with her four strong legs Royalty Free Stock Photo

An Aldabra giant tortoise trying to shred a dry tree bark while a chicken is searching for food behind Royalty Free Stock Photo

Tortoise rocky terrain Royalty Free Stock Photo

The largest tortoise in the park trying to find a dry shade during a downpour

The largest tortoise in the park trying to find a dry shade during a downpour at Francois Leguat Giant Tortoise and Cave Reserve at Rodrigues Island, Mauritius. The wet shell has reflective surface due to the rain water. It has stocky, heavily scaled legs to support its heavy body and also as efficient digging tool. It is one of the largest tortoises in the world originating from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. The indigenous tortoises (Domed Rodrigues giant tortoise and Saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise) all went extinct around 1800.