Jardin des Tortues, Turtle conservation park in Les Avirons, Reunion Island, France
The Jardin des Tortues is a zoological park in Les Avirons dedicated to housing and protecting turtle species. The facility spans a large area with multiple enclosures where both land and aquatic turtles are kept and cared for.
This facility was founded in 2019 as a dedicated conservation center for turtles. Since its establishment, it has worked to protect endangered species and educate visitors about their importance.
The park's name simply means "Garden of the Tortoises". Since 2019 it has been linked with Kélonia, the older marine turtle centre at Saint-Leu, in a themed route called the Chemin des tortues (Turtle Path). The two sites together let visitors follow turtles from land enclosures to the sea.
The park is open every day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, except Christmas Day and New Year's Day. It lies in Les Avirons, about 40 minutes by car from Saint-Denis, with parking on site and bus routes stopping nearby. The grounds are wheelchair accessible, with restrooms and picnic areas.
The park opened on 30 November 2019 and holds more than 200 land and aquatic turtles on two hectares. With Kélonia, the older marine turtle site at Saint-Leu, it forms a themed route called the Chemin des tortues. The large pale-shelled tortoise in the photograph shows concentric growth rings and blue-gray staining on its central plate.
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