Comments on: Photo safari – giant tortoise http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2010/05/09/photo-safari-giant-tortoise/ Mon, 26 Nov 2012 12:00:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Hai~Ren http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2010/05/09/photo-safari-giant-tortoise/#comment-7525 Hai~Ren Tue, 11 May 2010 00:09:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/?p=1574#comment-7525 Makes me wonder about the ecology of the extinct meiolaniids, which apparently were quite tortoise-like. Given that Aldabra tortoises have been introduced to other islands in the Indian Ocean as proxies for the extinct tortoise species that once inhabited these other islands (partly to clear non-native vegetation and restore original island habitats), perhaps giant tortoises could be used in a similar fashion in Australia*. *Under controlled, semi-captive conditions, of course. Makes me wonder about the ecology of the extinct meiolaniids, which apparently were quite tortoise-like. Given that Aldabra tortoises have been introduced to other islands in the Indian Ocean as proxies for the extinct tortoise species that once inhabited these other islands (partly to clear non-native vegetation and restore original island habitats), perhaps giant tortoises could be used in a similar fashion in Australia*.

*Under controlled, semi-captive conditions, of course.

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