Aldabra Atoll is one of the last places on Earth that is almost completely untouched by humans. Located in the Indian Ocean north north of Madagascar and east of Tanzania, it is comprised of a shallow lagoon encircled by four main islands: Picard, Poylmnie, Grande Terre, and Malabar, which themselves are surrounded by a ring of coral reefs.
Aldabra was first discovered in 916 CE by Arab sailors. It was visited by the Portuguese in 1511, and passed through the hands of several colonial powers before becoming a part of the Seychelles when they gained independence from Britain in 1976. The Atoll was only briefly inhabited, starting in 1888 when a small village was created. After a few decades, the villagers had left, and today the islands are protected as an UNESCO world heritage site, and only inhabited by a handful of researchers.
Small islands often contain some of the most unique biodiversity on Earth. Isolated from the rest of the world by miles of open ocean, they are typically home to species that can’t be found anywhere else. Aldabra is no exception. More than 400 endemic species can be found there, including 19 endemic plants, and, most famously, the Aldabra giant tortoise. Although it has been introduced to other islands in the Seychelles, Aldabra Atoll is home to a population of about 152,000 – the largest population of giant tortoises anywhere in the world. Another unique species is the Aldabra White Throated Rail, a flightless bird which is a subspecies of the white throated rail. Formerly found on several islands around the Indian Ocean, it is now extinct everywhere except Aldabra.
Other wildlife includes large colonies of seabirds (including the largest frigatebird colony in the Indian Ocean), flamingos, endemic bats, and a rich array of marine life including green and hawksbill sea turtles (for which the atoll offers an important nesting site), sharks, manta rays, whales, dolphins, and Dugongs: a relative of the manatee that was thought to be extinct until recently.
Aldabra is not completely free of human interference. The settlers on the atoll in the late 19th and early 20th century exploited its natural resources. They killed the giant tortoises for food, and introduced invasive species including rats and feral cats. Fortunately, the tortoise population was able to recover. However, others weren’t as lucky. The Aldabra brush warbler, a bird species that was endemic to the islands, went extinct largely due to invasive species. Cats and rats would invade the bird’s nests, and goats (which were introduced by humans but were eradicated in 2012) destroyed their habitat.
Besides invasive species, Aldabra island faces other threats. Rising sea levels threaten to wipe it off the map, and warming temperatures are already having an effect on its marine life. Because of Aldabra’s location in a busy shipping lane, an oil spill is a concerning yet very real possibility. Additionally, financial difficulties threaten the research station on Aldabra. Piracy in the area has scared off tourists, which had previously provided a source of much-needed funds.
Now, Aldabra’s fragile ecosystem faces yet another threat. A luxury resort is under construction on the nearby Assomption Island. Although the resort isn’t on Aldabra itself, experts have warned that it could cause “irreparable damage” to the Atoll and its wildlife. Increased air traffic will disrupt the animals of Aldabra. More sea traffic will also have a drastic effect on local wildlife, including the disruption of whale migration routes. Pollution from the resort could also be incredibly harmful.
In addition, the threat of more invasive species being introduced to Aldabra is huge. In the past, species that have been introduced to Assomption have found their way to Aldabra in no time. Take the Madagascar fody, a species of bird that was introduced to Assomption and spread to Aldabra, where it wreaked havoc on the local ecosystem before it was eradicated in 2017. The resort already plans on introducing horses, which, while they could cause damage at Assomption, likely won’t spread to Aldabra. However, the risk of more species being introduced accidentally is huge, and we are having a hard time finding information on whether or not the resort plans to implement any biosecurity measures. Experts are also concerned by the speed at which the project is being approved by the Seychelles government.
Additionally, biodiversity on Assomption island itself is at risk. For example, Habitat destruction on the island is something that has scientists concerned. The Assomption day gecko, a subspecies which is endemic to Assomption, could be in danger if other gecko species are introduced. And ornamental plants brought in by landscapers could spread throughout the island.
Aldabra island is one of the last remaining places that contains a unique set of local flora and fauna that are largely untouched by human interference. It is vital that we maintain this paradise by preventing the construction of the resort on Assomption. If you are interested in stopping the development, there are several online petitions that you can sign, including one that can be found on the friendsofaldabra.com website, and another from change.org.