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"Under a forest tapestry of fluffy fruit bats and intersecting branches, I crept closer to a prehistoric-looking giant tortoise that had taken refuge in the shade of some shrubbery on Aldabra Atoll; the world's second-largest coral atoll is extremely remote (about 700 miles from Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles) and requires visitors to adhere to intense biosecurity measures. It is home to 100,000 giant tortoises—the largest population in the world—and nearly 400 other endemic species and subspecies, including the white-throated rail, the western Indian Ocean's last remaining flightless bird." - Maria Yagoda
Giant tortoises, rare crabs, pristine reefs, UNESCO site
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