We currently have a reduced visitor capacity and many weekends are selling out fast. To avoid disappointment, please purchase tickets online in advance. Find out more here

Tortoise Encounter

Aldabra Tortoise at Adelaide Zoo
Aldabra Tortoise at Adelaide Zoo

Please note, due to COVID-19 restrictions, we have suspended the sale of date-specific tickets to this animal experience until further notice. However, you can purchase a non-date-specific voucher.

If you would like to be the first to know when our animal experiences are available to book again, and for adorable animal content and zoo news, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here.

Meet our giant Aldabra Tortoise, Aonika!

Step back in time and meet our prehistoric resident today.

You may even get the chance to hand feed our gentle giant some tasty snacks, or give her a scratch on the neck!

Aonika enjoys interacting with visitors and seeing keepers arrive with the red food bucket, moving towards it as fast as she can for a tasty treat.

Highlights of this experience

  • Get up close to our gorgeous giant tortoise, Aonika!
  • Go behind the scenes in our Aldabra Tortoise habitat

Aldabra Tortoises can grow up to a metre long and have hard, protective shells that are made of 59 to 61 bones covered by plates (scutes).

How your ticket helps our conservation efforts

The Aldabra Tortoise is the last of 18 species of tortoise that once flourished on islands of the Indian Ocean. The others became extinct because of hunting by sailors and predation of eggs and hatchlings by introduced species such as rats, cats and pigs.

They are currently protected but suffer from poaching and loss of traditional habitat.

By purchasing a ticket to our Tortoise Encounter at Adelaide Zoo, you are not only supporting the incredible species in our care, you’re also helping us raise awareness and valuable funds to safeguard their wild cousins. Part of the income generated from our Animal Experiences contributes to the work Zoos SA does in support of a wide number of conservation programs both within and beyond our gates.

Want to get involved? You can help!

Adopt or donate

Meet Eshe (meaning life and energy) just named on #WorldRhinoDay. Thanks to Aaron @BeachEnergyLtd for nominating su… https://t.co/bEc9wyFVLW

About Zoos SA

Zoos SA is a not-for-profit conservation charity that exists to connect people with nature and save species from extinction.

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Contact Us

Adelaide Zoo, Frome Road,
Adelaide SA 5000
AUSTRALIA
Tel: (08) 8267 3255