Tortoises and tourists in the Western Indian ocean: The curieuse experiment

A colony of giant tortoises Geochelone gigantea from Aldabra Atoll was established in 1978 on the island of Curieuse in the granitic Seychelles, where tortoises have long been extinct. Ninety-five were landed in April 1978 and 78 in April 1980. The animals have shown considerable increases in wieght, and the first hatchling was found n February 1980. The main purpose of the colony is to provide a tourist attraction within easy reach of Mahé and deflect tourist pressure from Aldabra: at the same time the colony has considerable scientific potential. The environment and history of Curieuse are reviewed in the light of criteria initially established for the choice of an island for the project, and the future of the experiment is discussed.