Green Sea Turtles Are Making a Remarkable Comeback on the Remote Aldabra Atoll and Around the World. But Their Recovery Is Far From Complete

One year after the species was reclassified from “endangered” to “least concern,” green turtles in the western Indian Ocean exemplify that return—and the subtleties a global designation can miss

October 21, 2026 3:00 p.m.

A female green turtle digs through sand to create a nest on Aldabra atoll. Rich Baxter

On an early January night after sunset, I’m walking with Elke Talma toward Settlement Beach, a 1.2-mile stretch of white sand on Aldabra atoll in the western Indian Ocean. We’re each here for a month on different projects: Talma is volunteering with the atoll’s marine research program, and I’m here to study its 180,000 giant tortoises for a book.…