How a group of giant tortoises saved an entire atoll from military destruction

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the 1960s, the British government planned to transform the remote Aldabra atoll into an RAF base. The project was thwarted by an international scientific outcry known as the Aldabra Affair. Today, this pristine coral sanctuary remains a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to 100,000 giant tortoises.

Aldabra, the world's second-largest coral atoll, is a rugged, water-scarce environment located in the Indian Ocean. For centuries, its isolation protected it from permanent habitation, though it was historically exploited for its giant tortoises, which were captured for meat and trade by passing ships. By 1900, these tortoises were nearly extinct, saved only by a concession ban on killing them in 1891.

The atoll's most significant modern turning point occurred in the 1960s. The British government, seeking to support East of Suez commitments, proposed an RAF base on the island. Simultaneously, the BBC explored using the site for a transmitter. The plan was famously mocked by Defence Minister Denis Healey, who noted the island was inhabited by giant turtles and boobies rather than people. Following a campaign led by Julian Huxley and supported by MPs like Robin Cook, the military plans were abandoned in 1967.

Since the military threat was neutralized, Aldabra has become a premier natural laboratory for evolutionary ecology. Managed by the Seychelles Islands Foundation since 1979, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. The atoll hosts the world's largest population of giant tortoises and the last surviving flightless bird in the Indian Ocean, the white-throated rail. Despite its protected status, the ecosystem faces modern challenges, including climate change, which reduced hard coral cover by over 50% following the 2016 El Niño, and significant plastic pollution.

Today, the atoll remains difficult to access, with no airstrips or landing jetties. A small research station on Picard Island houses permanent staff who monitor the biodiversity of this ecologically undisturbed raised coral reef. The atoll serves as a vital refuge for rare species, including green sea turtles and dugongs, proving that even the most remote corners of the planet require active, international vigilance to survive.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• Aldabra's giant tortoises graze so hard that the grass evolved to hide
• This tiny volcanic island in the Indian Ocean once heard the loudest sound ever
• Galápagos giants can outlive a century—and once numbered a quarter million
• How a strategic military plan erased a population from the map
• Meet Jonathan, the tortoise believed to be the world's oldest living land animal
• Why the 1492 Alhambra Decree was a unique innovation in European state-sponsored expulsion
• The Alcázar of Segovia: A Medieval Fortress That Shaped the Destiny of Spain
• Alica Schmidt is a German track athlete who transitioned from sprinting to middle-distance running.
• The first site ever removed from the UNESCO World Heritage list remains a cautionary tale.
• How a nineteenth-century museum became a sanctuary for art, science, and the public
• This Neolithic underground labyrinth in Malta was carved using only stone and bone tools.
• The Douro Valley: From Ancient Roman Roots to the World's First Demarcated Wine Region

More in World Heritage Sites · More in Countries & Cities · Latest · A–Z · All topics