Biggy – who at 200kg is Jersey Zoo’s largest animal – had a benign tumour on his tail, which Senior Veterinary Officer Violaine Colon needed to assess and remove.
But Biggy’s size meant that existing equipment wouldn’t work for him, and a new piece of technical equipment was built to ensure his ‘shell-fare’ during the process.
This was possible thanks to the generosity of a donor, Jersey Zoo said.
The tortoise’s tumour was examined and removed, and he is making a “fantastic” recovery.
Jersey Zoo’s quartet of Aldabra giant tortoises arrived in November 2022 from Bristol Zoo.
The shelled reptiles, which can live for over 150 years, reside in a purpose-built enclosure named the Tortoise Tunnel, which is next to the Butterfly Kaleidoscope.
Of the four tortoises, the largest is ‘Biggy’ who weighs over 200kg.
On arrival, he overtook Badongo the silverback gorilla as the heaviest animal at Jersey Zoo.
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Sorry Badongo… ‘Notorious’ Biggy is now Jersey Zoo’s heaviest resident
