There are also a few very small islets located between Grand-Terre Island and Picard Islands. The Atoll is home to three endemic bat species. It is 407 km (253 mi) northwest of Madagascar and 440 km (270 mi) from Moroni on the Comoro Islands. The main population of the Aldabra giant tortoise resides on the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. They are among the last islands on earth where untamed nature rules supreme, and have been rightly labelled as the last frontier in tourism in the Indian Ocean. The windward southern coast is made up of sand dunes.[6]. In the eastern zone of the lagoon, though the surface is continuous, sediment beds are also seen. [48][49] Dugongs, once thought to be regionally extinct in the 18th century,[50] have been confirmed for multiple times in very recent years. World Heritage Site. A small scientific research station of the SIF is based on La Gigi village on Picard Island. Rugged, remote, and mysterious are words that aptly describe Aldabra, which is one of the largest coral atolls in the world. [6] While the terrestrial topography (spread over an elevation range of 0–8 metres (0–26 ft)[23]) is rugged and dictated by the geomorphic conditions, the land surface comprises limestone of about 125,000 years age, which has uplifted many times above the sea level. The Aldabra Atoll is made up of 4 large islands and 40 smaller islands. The Aldabra Marine Programme was established following the discovery of the extensive damage to the coral reef ecosystem at Aldbara Atoll caused by the 1998 Indian Ocean coral-bleaching event. The northwest monsoon is from November to March and brings the heaviest rainfall. [59], Left: coral "mushrooms". In the 1960s, as a part of their 'Ocean Island Policy', and to support East of Suez commitments, the British government considered establishing a RAF base on the island and invited the United States to help fund the project in return for shared use of the facility and a settlement of 11 million dollars. The Aldabra Atoll has 4 larger islands, plus 40 smaller ones, all inside its lagoon. For naturalists, both professional and amateur, it is a sort of Mecca; one of those places they would love to see before they die, says Judith Skerrett. [6] As there are no surface freshwater sources on Aldabra, the interests of the explorers (no proof of any explorer's visit prior to 1742) was only to exploit the species of tortoise, turtle and fish, and not to inhabit the atoll. Aldabra is one of the world’s largest raised coral atolls comprised of four main islands that rise to an average of only 8 m above sea level. The coastline has undercut limestone cliffs above a perched beach; it is in two clear terraces of 8 metres (26 ft) and 6 metres (20 ft) height above sea level. The total land area of the Atoll is 155.4 square kilometres (60.0 sq mi). [6][23] Eco tourism is controlled and introduction of invasive species is restricted. Today, Aldabra Expeditions offers the adventurous traveller the chance to see the remote world of Aldabra and other little-known islands and atolls of the western Indian Ocean. Aldabra Atoll, situated 1,150km southwest of Mahé, is the largest raised coral atoll in the world, comprising more than a dozen islands bordering a lagoon so vast the whole of Mahé could fit inside its perimeter. Supply ships operating from Mahé provide food and other essentials once every two months to the scientists and staff at the research station. [42][43][44][45], At least 13 species of cetaceans, including dolphins, orcas, and especially humpback whales,[46][47] have been known in the waters. The exploitation of tortoises for commercial purposes at that time is borne out by the remnants of a crushing mill at Picard Island, which was used to crush bones of tortoises, which were also brought in from other islands in the atoll. Goats were eradicated from the atoll in 2012 after a long-term eradication program. Old maps of Aldabra Island on Old Maps Online. Pleistocene fossils also indicate the former presence of an Oplurus iguana and other skink and gecko species. Aldabra Island, or the Aldabra Atoll, is one of the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. The islands were already known to the Persians and Arabs, from whom they got their name. The atoll is the largest raised coral reef in the world with an elevation of 8 metres (26 ft); and the second-largest atoll in the world after Kiritimati Atoll. Admiral W. J. L. Wharton of the British Navy landed in Aldabra in 1878 to conduct hydrographic surveys of the islands. It is located in a very remote part of the eastern Indian Ocean, about 1,000 km west-south-west of the main Seychelles group, 400 km north-west of the northern tip of Madagascar and 600 km from the East African coast. [3] Sailors landed on the atoll in the 19th century and attempted to raid the island for tortoises as food; in 1842, two ships were reported to have taken 1200 of them. Historically, the name Aldabra was Al-Hadra or Al-Khadra (with several variants), given by Arab seafarers[2] for "the atoll’s harsh, sun-baked environment"; this name was included in the Portuguese maps of the 16th century. The table below displays average monthly climate indicators in ALDABRA ISLAND based on 8 years of historical weather readings. [29] Aldabra has one of the largest populations of nesting green turtles in the Western Indian Ocean. Moyenne Island), and on … [6][29][41] The bird fauna is most similar to Madagascar or Comoros and other birds found here include greater flamingos, the Madagascar pond heron, Comoros blue pigeon, Madagascar kestrel, Madagascar coucal, Madagascar nightjar, Madagascar bulbul and souimanga sunbird. Discover the past of Aldabra Island on historical maps. [9], In the early 1800s, concessions given to individuals almost destroyed the forests and tortoise habitats in many islands in Seychelles; on Aldabra Atoll, in view of its remoteness and rugged topography, only small areas of forests were cleared for agricultural operations (mostly coconut plantations) but the tortoises were intensely captured for meat and trade. During the Pleistocene the dominant land predator was the crocodilian Aldabrachampsus which is now extinct. Due to national and international opposition this plan was cancelled in 1967. The larger islands of Aldabra Atoll are situated around the lagoon’s rim. Aldabra. The atoll constitutes a refuge harboring viable populations of a range of rare and endangered species of plants and animals. The females can lay several clutches in a year and[35] the incubation period is 73–160 days. The Atoll stretches 13 kilometers wide and 34 kilometers long, and surrounds a lagoon that is 196 square kilometers in surface area. Aldabra is a breeding ground for the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). Invasive alien species such as rats, cats and goats that were introduced in the past threaten the native biodiversity of the atoll. [55] The marine protected area extends 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) into the sea to ensure preservation of its marine fauna. Aldabra receives an average of 960 millimetres (38 in) rainfall per year. [27] Reptiles are the prominent terrestrial fauna. [28][29], The higher areas of Aldabra are covered in pemphis, a thick coastal shrub, while the lower areas, which are home to the giant tortoises, are a mixture of trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses. As the largest raised coral atoll in the world, it is widely recognized as one of the most remarkable oceanic islands on Earth. The white mangrove, red mangrove, and black mangrove tree species occur on the shores of the lagoon. The males have a concave plastron (belly shell) that aids in mating. These wetlands support several endangered species including the increasing number of turtles at the atoll, dugongs and many other bird, fish and invertebrate species. An endangered green turtle grazes on seagrass in a lagoon on Aldabra Atoll, one of the world’s largest raised coral atolls. The Aldabra Atoll represents one of the most significant natural habitats for research in ecological and evolutionary processes since it has been largely free from human interference through the years. 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