Surabaya Zoo Welcomes Four Giant Aldabra Tortoises from Japan
- 02 Sep 2026 10:44 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- Surabaya Zoo has introduced four giant Aldabra tortoises from Japan through a conservation and wildlife exchange partnership with iZoo Shizuoka.
- The arrival marks the first time Surabaya Zoo has housed the species, with further animal exchanges planned under the international partnership.
RRI.CO.ID, Surabaya - The Surabaya Zoo (KBS), East Java, has expanded its animal collection by acquiring four giant Aldabra tortoises (Aldabrachelys gigantea), one male and three females, marking the first time the historic zoological park has housed the species since its founding.
Native to the Aldabra Atoll in Seychelles, the Aldabra tortoise is recognized as the world's second-largest land tortoise species after the Galápagos tortoise. Arriving in Indonesia in mid-July 2026, the animals underwent mandatory quarantine and acclimatization before their public debut. The 40-year-old male weighs approximately 109 kilograms, while the three females, aged between 25 and 30 years, weigh between 80 and 90 kilograms each.
Acquired through a bilateral exchange partnership with iZoo in Shizuoka, Japan, the addition is intended to enhance KBS’s educational and conservation mandates, with future planned exchanges slated to bring Japanese macaques, giraffes, and red pandas to Surabaya.
Zoo management highlighted that international conservation partnerships expand public educational access to long-lived global fauna while strengthening species preservation initiatives.
Director of Operations at Surabaya Zoo Nurika Widyasanti outlined the milestone acquisition and the long-term scope of the partnership.
"Since the establishment of the Surabaya Zoo, we have never held Aldabra giant tortoises, making this arrival a significant historic milestone, capable of living past 100 years and reaching over 100 kilograms, these tortoises serve as a powerful educational medium for visitors. This exchange with iZoo Shizuoka lays the groundwork for future cooperative wildlife exchanges, including Japanese macaques, giraffes, and red pandas," Nurika Widyasanti said in Surabaya on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, as quoted by Antara. ***
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