Wednesday Walk Challenge : Walk with giant tortoises on the island of Rodriques

This week my walk will be among giant tortoises. These giants are found inThe François Leguat Giant Tortoise and Cave Reserve. It's a nature reserve with quite a large amount of Aldrabra giant tortoises. They are roamimg freely within a large area. When you walk through the area, you will be walking among these amazing giants. During the years of colonial power, the tortoises became extinct. Later they have been reintroduced to the island. When the reserve opened in 2007, it was with an aim to protect not only these giants, but also flora an founa endemic to the island. This reserve is located on Rodriques in the Indian Ocean. The island is part of the «mother» island aprox. 500 further south – Mauritius. The ticket includes a walk through the area with the tortoises and a guided tour of the caves. There is also a small museum, shop and cafe. It will take a couple of hours to do the tour so a short break at the cafe was a great way to end our visit. Especially because it was hot.

The tour starts here with the informative sign boards which gives good information about the three different tortoises we were going to see. The guide took us down some stairs to a large area where we met the tortoises. They were ofcouse what caught the attention to all of us. But the flora and some of the different endemic plants were pointed out by the guide. So were birds in the air above us. Then we just walked at our pace.

The guide told us that they have bad eye sight. Anything that moves in front of them, they will think it is food... He also told us that they are attracted to colorful cloth. I did see a woman in very colorful cloth. The tortoise followed her. (take a look at the short films). But they liked being scratsed on their head. I felt it was a little scary to be surrounded by these giants. Never knowing if they would snap from the back. But fortunatly they are rather slow. We were told that Rodrigues once had the highest density in the world of these giant tortoises. Within one hundred years humans had managed to lead the tortoises to extinction. Many were killed and used for food. Between 1730 and 1770 as many as manybe 280.000 were brought away on ships, leaving Rodriques without a single tortoise.

When it comes to vegetation, more than 33 species are now back in the reservei. Together with the tortoises, they both are important for the ecosystem, When the reserve opened, two species arrived Rodriques – the Alabra and the Radiata tortoises. Both of these species are those who has most in common with the extinct tortoises on the island. The third species come from Madagascar where it probably will become extict. The reserve on Rodriques hope to one day being able to return them to Madagascar.

At the end of the walk, we had to walk up a staircase. Those who wanted to visit the caves, joined the guide. The rest returned to the entrance. I was one of those. The cave system is unique and worth a visit. This part of the island features limestone landscape with several impressive caves. Last time I was in Rodriques, I visited one of these caves.

Great to see that someone cares about the tortoises and environmental issues.

Sources:
Information boards and guide
francoisleguatreserve.com

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Latest wedensday walk, check out:
Wednesday Walk Challenge : Take the 82 steps to the Marie Reine de la Paix Chapel

U.J

Kristiansand, Norway

All the photoes are mine, Ulla Jensen (flickr, Instagram and facebook)

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