When it comes to turtle season, late is definitely better than never

We all know ladies can make us wait, but this year we were at the peak of all patience waiting for the first lady turtle to arrive on Cousin. This is the start of a very busy 6 months as the Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricate) begin their nesting season in Seychelles. It is a very important stage of the life cycle for this Critically Endangered species and therefore monitoring is of great priority and data collection imperative for the future of this species.

The tortoise census on Cousin: the island’s ‘treasure hunt’

Cousin Island’s tortoise census takes place during the South East monsoon season in August. From July – December, the island experiences peak nesting productivity from the female Aldabra giant tortoises (Aldabrachelys). The census takes place for a greater understanding of our current population on Cousin. We search and survey the various habitats for as many tagged and untagged tortoises as we can find.

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