Published • loading... • Updated
What is keeping the world’s oldest tortoise going at 194?
Researchers say Jonathan’s DNA shows little wear and tear, helping explain how the world’s oldest known tortoise has lived nearly two centuries.
- A new study published in the scientific journal Ecology and Evolution confirms nearly 183,000 giant tortoises roam the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles.
- Conservation efforts transformed the species' status after industrial exploitation in the 19th century left fewer than 1,000 tortoises remaining on the island.
- Researchers analyzed five years of tortoise counts collected between 2018 and 2022, overcoming challenges posed by the atoll's dense vegetation when determining accurate population figures.
- Seychelles Islands Foundation CEO Dr. Frauke Fleischer-Dogley called the findings 'wonderful news,' though invasive species including feral cats and black rats threaten tortoise hatchlings.
- Longer, more frequent droughts and rising sea levels threaten the Aldabra Atoll ecosystem, necessitating vigilance to track population health against increasing climate pressures.
Insights by Ground AI
18 Articles
18 Articles
The world's largest population of giant tortoises living in the wild is thriving. Recent scientific observations suggest that the once-endangered species' numbers are stable.
·Warsaw, Poland
Read Full Article
The population of huge Aldabra turtles in Seychelles, one of the largest giant turtle populations in the world living in freedom, has reached a record level. A recent study estimates that...
Coverage Details
Total News Sources18
Leaning Left1Leaning Right4Center10Last UpdatedBias Distribution66% Center
Bias Distribution
- 66% of the sources are Center
66% Center
C 66%
R 27%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
