Aldabra giant tortoises are the world's second largest land tortoises and among the longest-lived terrestrial animals, capable of exceeding 150 years. Their welfare in captivity requires appropriate thermal environments, grazing access, and social housing.
Tortoises in thermally inadequate enclosures with insufficient temperature gradients cannot thermoregulate effectively, impairing digestion, immune function, and activity levels. A tortoise unable to reach appropriate basking temperatures is chronically physiologically compromised even without obvious clinical signs. Substrate that allows natural digging and shell abrasion is important for psychological health. Dental and nutritional problems arise from diets lacking sufficient variety and fibre. The exceptional longevity of giant tortoises means welfare decisions made today affect individuals for decades — poor habitat provision creates decades of compromised welfare for animals that may outlive their keepers.