The giant tortoise population on Aldabra has been estimated at 150,000 individuals (Bourn and Coe, 1978). This colony is at present the largest population of giant tortoises in the world and remains a living reminder of how vulnerable nature can be to over-exploitation.
[G. gigantea] is considered as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN. CITES lists the species as "Appendix 2".