Capital: Diego Garcia
Population: 4,000
Languages: English
Currency: UK pounds & US dollars
BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN
TERRITORY

1971


ALDABRA NATURE RESERVE
(SG 36)

 
 
Name on stamp
Current name
Accepted common name
45c
Testudo gigantea
Dipsochelys dussumieri
Aldabra giant tortoise

 

A series of four stamps featuring the island of Aldabra, one of which is illustrated with an Aldabran giant tortoise (Dipsochelys dussumieri), the Indian Ocean equivalent of the more famous Galapagos giant tortoises (Chelonoides nigra) in the Pacific.A second Aldabran tortoise species (Dipsochelys hololissa), is also still extant in captivity but four species from the Seychelles have gone extinct. The island of Aldabra was originally owned by Seychelles but it came under the control of the British Crown in 1965, and was returned to the Seychelles in 1976.

 

1996


TURTLES
(SG 185-188)

 

 
Name on stamp
Current name
Accepted common name
26p
Caretta caretta
Caretta caretta
Loggerhead sea turtle
26p
Dermochelys coriacea
Dermochelys coriacea
Leatherback sea turtle
34p
Eretmochelys imbricata
Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill sea turtle
34p
Chelonia mydas
Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtle

 

Four stamps featuring the sea turtles of the Indian Ocean.

 

2005


TURTLES
(SG n/a)

 

 
Name on stamp
Current name
Accepted common name
26p
Chelonia mydas
Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtle
26p
Eretmochelys imbricata
Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill sea turtle
34p
Chelonia mydas
Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtle
34p
Eretmochelys imbricata
Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill sea turtle
76p
Eretmochelys imbricata
Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill sea turtle
£1.10
Chelonia mydas
Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtle
Minisheet
£1.70
Chelonia mydas
Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtle

 

Six stamps featuring the Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) with an accompanying minisheet.