In the 19th century the first settlers arrived on Silhouette Island –
the Dauban Family from Mauritius. Over the next few years they gradually
acquired the whole island, and began cinnamon and coconut plantations.
Unfortunately, a crash in the copra market at that time forced the
family to mortgage the island.
Silhouette is surrounded by a marine national park and some areas of the
island have been designated as nature reserves. Ron and Gill Gerlach began the
Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles (NPTS) in 1996 to protect Silhouette.
Seychelles Giant Tortoise Conservation Project
Giant tortoises inhabited Silhouette until the first explorers from
Europe arrived in the 16th century. These enormous defenceless creatures
were killed for their meat in vast numbers until by 1840 the only survivors
were in captivity or inhabiting Aldabra, an isolated atoll in the south of
Seychelles waters.
From then on it was believed that the only Indian Ocean giant tortoise
species to survive was the Aldabran, a species often seen in zoos around
the world. But in 1995 a strange looking tortoise in a hotel garden on Mahé
was brought to the attention of The Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles.
Speculation that it might be a survivor of one of the extinct Seychelles
species prompted a genetic study of tortoises in Seychelles. In March 1997
this study revealed that a few individuals of two "extinct" species survived,
scattered amongst the captive groups of the Aldabran species.
In July 1997 all the tortoises identified in the DNA study were acquired by
The Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles and brought to the breeding
enclosures on Silhouette, under the care of Ron and Gill. Silhouette is
housing the only breeding populations of these two "extinct" species.
The NPTS depends on the work of a small band of dedicated volunteers who do
not have an international fund-raising organisation. Support and
sponsorship are vital. After 150 years of "extinction" this conservation
project offers a last chance of survival for the rarest animals on earth.
Ron and Gill would be pleased to show you the Centre, talk to you about
the Seychelles Giant Tortoise Conservation Project and introduce you to these
charismatic giants. If no-one is present at the Centre, please call at the
nearby house.
For further information please contact Ron Gerlach at
The Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles
in Victoria, Seychelles. Tel: (+248) 323711, e-mail: npts@seychelles.net.
