Location:

Africa Trail - at end of Desert Lives trail

Ali is the largest and has a progressive chronic problem with the vertebra in his neck and now has permanent kinks. Ali weighs around 620 lbs.
High Dome has a high, smoother domed shell
Low Dome has low, smoother shell. She was lame in her right rear leg upon arrival and she will still favor it occasionally
Bullet has pointy scutes (the hard scales that look like separate plates)
Maya is taller than the females and Bullet

Ali was exported from an animal dealer on Aldabra Island, arrived on June 5, 1968
High Dome and Low Dome arrived together on 3/5/1981
Bullet arrived 4/2018 from Tulsa Zoo (12 years old at that time)
Maya arrived 3/2019 from a captive breeder (11 years old at that time)

Ali weighs about 630 pounds. He can hold his head underwater for about an hour.
High Dome does NOT like to be touched on her neck & forelegs, but will allow you to rub her shell. She is head shy and will hiss & pull in her head or even ram people who try to touch her skin. She does like to be fed & will approach people for food.
Low Dome enoys being touched & will rise up on her legs when you rub her shell. She enjoys just about any kind of food.
The girls each weigh over 200 lbs.
Maya is very friendly. He is taller than High Dome & Low Dome. It was originally thought that Maya was female, but it's difficult to determine. It was recently decided (Fall 2023) that Maya is male.

2nd largest tortoise in the world
Height & structure of carapace (shell) depends on diet
Females have smoother shell from mating
They enjoy mud wallows.
Males can weigh around 550 lbs and females around 350 lbs.
Likely shared a common ancestor with giant Madagascar tortoises - floated ~250 miles from Aldabra to Madagascar
Not bothered by thorny plants
Currently being introduced to reserve in Madagascar