Everything about Aldabra totally explained
Aldabra is a raised
coral atoll in the
Indian Ocean, virtually untouched by humans, with distinctive island
fauna, including the
Aldabra Giant Tortoise. The atoll is home to the world's largest population of
giant tortoises, numbering some 100,000 individuals. The islands are designated a
World Heritage Site. They are also known for their
green turtles,
hawksbill turtles, and birds, including the
Aldabra rail, the last surviving flightless bird of the Indian Ocean region. Politically, Aldabra is part of the
Seychelles.
Geography
The atoll is located at and belongs to the
Aldabra Group, one of the island groups of the
Outer Islands of the
Seychelles. The atoll is 265 miles northwest of the northern point of
Madagascar and 1150 km southwest of
Mahé, the principal island of the Seychelles archipelago. The
Comoro Islands lie 220 miles southwest of Aldabra. The Aldabra Atoll, along with
Des Roches and
Farquhar, was part of the
British Indian Ocean Territory from
1965 until Seychelles independence in
1976.
The atoll is the second largest in the world after
Kiritimati. It is 34 km long, 14.5 km wide, up to 8 meters above sea level, and has a land area of 155.4 km². The
lagoon measures 224 km² in area, of which roughly two thirds fall dry during low tide.
The atoll consists of a ring of four larger islands (counterclockwise):
Additionally, there are some forty smaller islands and rocks, all inside the
lagoon, except a few very small islets at the West Channels between South and Polymnie Islands, the largest of those being Îlot Magnan: Île aux Cendres, Île Michel (Coconut Island), Île Esprit (Euphrates Island), Île Moustiques, Îlot Parc, Îlot Emile, Îlot Yangue, Îlot Dubois, Île Lanier, Champignon des Os, Euphrate, Grand Mentor, Grand ÎIot, Gros ÎIot Gionnet, Gros ÎIot Sésame, Heron Rock, Hide Island, Île aux Aigrettes, Île aux Cèdres, Îles Chalands, Île Fangame, Île Héron, Île Michel, Île Suacco, Île Sylvestre, Île Verte, Îlot Déder, Îlot du Sud, Îlot du Milieu, Îlot du Nord, Îlot Macoa, Îlot Marquoix, Îlots Niçois, Îlot Salade, Middle Row Island, Nobby Rock, North Row Island, Petit Mentor, Petit Mentor Endans, Petits ÎIots, Pink Rock, Table Ronde.
The largest islands inside the lagoon are:
Île Michel (Coconut Island), in the east (0.34 km² or 0.16 sq.mi.)
Île Esprit (Euphrates Island), in the west (0.41 km² 0.13 sq.mi.)
History
Aldabra was visited by Portuguese navigators in 1511. The islands were already known to the Arabs, from whom they get their name. In the middle of the 18th century, they became dependencies of the French colony of Réunion, from where expeditions were made for the capture of the giant tortoises. In 1810 with Mauritius, Réunion, the Seychelles and other islands, Aldabra passed into the possession of Great Britain. Réunion was returned to France, and Mauritius gained possession of Aldabra as well as the rest of the Seychelles. The previous inhabitants were emigrants from the Seychelles.
The abandoned settlement Picard on the southwestern tip of West Island is now home to the Research Officer, Island Manager and their rangers and staff. There is no other permanent population. The islands are managed by the Seychelles Island Foundation
.
The Aldabra Group also includes the island of Assumption and the atolls of Astove and Cosmoledo.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Aldabra'.
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