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Five giant tortoises have moved to Tropical World in Roundhay after outgrowing home

“They’re all settling in well!”

Clementine Hall - 10th March 2025

Tropical World has welcomed five new, and particularly slow, friends with open arms.

The five sulcata tortoises, also known as African spurred tortoises, have moved from the Blue Planet Aquarium in Ellesmere Port to Tropical World in Roundhay.

These tortoises are the third largest species of tortoise in the world, after the Aldabra giant tortoise and the Galapagos tortoise.

Announcing the exciting news to Instagram, Tropical world said: "Exciting news. We recently welcomed five giant tortoises to their new home here at Tropical World!

"These gentle giants had outgrown their previous habitat and are now settling into their spacious new environment. The Sulcata Tortoise, with a life expectancy of over 70 years, is the largest mainland tortoise in the world and the third largest overall.

"Come visit us and meet our newest residents"

Abigail Hardwick, animal officer at Tropical World, said: “They all have coloured markings on their shells so we know who is who. Tank is the biggest male and the most boisterous, he can often be seen pushing the other boys out of the way to be first to the food bowls.

“They’re all settling in well!”

One of the UK's largest indoor tropical rainforest visitor attractions, Tropical World has been welcoming guests since 1988 and is comprised of seven zones which all replicate a tropical environment from around the world.

Tropical World is already home to meerkats, pygmy marmosets (the world’s smallest type of monkey), and emperor tamarin monkeys, as well as many different kinds of reptiles, butterflies and insects.

Find out more about Tropical World here.

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