University of Sheffield research helps giant tortoises hatch
A new study has found incubating eggs belonging to Aldabra Giant Tortoises can boost the chance of them hatching
A new University of Sheffield study has provided a helping hand to a species of giant tortoise, but finding a way to boost the chances of their eggs hatching.
Researchers have developed a new technique of determining whether an egg is fertile, which has been applied to those laid by Aldabra Giant Tortoises on Cousin Island in the Seychelles.
The species has extremely low hatching rates, although the chances of an egg successfully producing a young tortoise was significantly boosted after scientists started incubating them.
The first batch of eggs hatched last week, marking a landmark success for the trial.
It's good new for the species, which is considered vulnerable to extinction.
Alessia Lavigna, PhD student at the University of Sheffield, and lead author of the study, said:
“Turtles and tortoises are facing an extinction crisis. The Aldabra giant tortoises are currently classed as vulnerable, but because they live for so long, population sizes can appear stable even if there is low productivity.
“That’s why it is so important to identify when reproductive success is declining, understand the causes, and step in with conservation interventions like artificial incubation when needed.
“Giant tortoises are highly charismatic and play a vital role as engineers for our ecosystem.”
Dr Nicola Hemmings, from the University of Sheffield’s School of Biosciences, and leader of the research group that undertook the study, said:
“The arrival of new hatchlings is a huge boost for the Cousin Island population, which has struggled with very low natural recruitment for years."
"This success shows how research can directly drive conservation action, and it will hopefully inspire teams on other islands with low or zero hatching success to adopt artificial incubation too.
“We also believe that these techniques we've developed could be applied to other reptiles such as crocodiles and snakes, opening new possibilities for tackling reproductive challenges in other threatened species.”