First Aldabra Giant Tortoise with GPS Tracker
Our conservationists have started an exciting new initiative on the research of Aldabra giant tortoises. With the largest population of Giant Tortoises outside of Aldabra itself, Fregate Island is the ideal place to study these animals.
Thanks to a very generous donation of one of our guests in February 2020, we were able to purchase two GPS trackers, which can be attached to the carapace of a tortoise. With these trackers, we can follow the movement of the tortoises around the island and get a better understanding on how they move around different habitats.
It has been very difficult to find the best possible way to attach the tracker, without disturbing the tortoise. We have finally found a glue that keeps the tracker in place and with only 9×4 cm and 10 gram, it is not affecting the tortoise in any way.
Norbert, the tortoise, was surprisingly active and travelling a lot from Anse Parc (where he was tagged on 20/10/2021) to Banyan Hill and back again.
We are currently working on engineering smaller trackers for smaller tortoises. In collaboration with Savannah Tracking we are developing a system, that makes the data available to all of our guests who have donated a tracker and adopted a tortoise.
If you want to be part of this exciting project and are interested in a donation, please get in contact with us for more information.
