A fully grown Aldabra giant tortoise can weigh up to 250 kilograms and measure over a metre long. They move slowly and eat plants - grass, leaves, fruit and cactus. Despite their huge size, they are completely harmless and very curious around people.
Giant tortoises are famous for living an extremely long time. The oldest known tortoise in recent history, called Jonathan, was believed to be over 190 years old. That means a tortoise alive today might have hatched before your great-great-great-great-grandparents were born.
Giant tortoises are important for ecosystems because they eat fruit and then wander over large areas, spreading seeds in their droppings. When tortoises disappeared from Mauritius in the past, some trees began to struggle because the seeds were not being spread any more. Bringing tortoises back has helped restore that balance.

