#ProtectAldabra

A Qatari-funded Rosewood Hotel is set to destroy the Aldabra Islands, an untouched marine paradise. The Seychelles government is turning a blind eye: ignoring local voices, scientists and their own laws. But we are watching.

Help us stop the destruction, once and for all.

Take Action

A 2026 Public Inquiry confirmed what we’ve been saying all along:

There is a real and material risk that Aldabra Atoll could be placed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger.

Read the 4-page summary

Read the original 525-page report

Who We Are

Friends of Aldabra is a coalition of passionate individuals and organisations from Seychelles and around the world, who stand united by a shared vision to protect and honour the Aldabra Islands forever.

We believe in justice, transparency, and accountability — ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to speak up and defend their natural heritage.

In defending Aldabra, we defend the principles that ensure a shared, healthy future for us all.

Why you should care:

This global biodiversity hotspot is not an isolated paradise — its coral reefs, countless species and carbon stores are connected to the health of our entire planet.

Aldabra and Assomption fall within the Aldabra Islands marine protected area, recognised for its global importance to biodiversity. They are ecologically connected to each other and home to:

Over 400 species island species found nowhere else in the world
The most important sea turtle nesting beach in the Seychelles
Pristine coral reefs, mangrove forests and sea grass meadows
The largest population of Giant Aldabra Tortoises in the world
One of the last remaining Western Indian Dugong populations
Migratory paths for humpback whales

READ OUR WHITE PAPER

“We don’t have a say... please listen to the local people”

— Gilbert Victor, Seychellois Seafarer & Fisherman

Illustrated map of Aldabra Atoll by Beth Walrond

DIVE INTO THE CAMPAIGN

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JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

Our Voices

The Aldabra Islands are a treasure the world can’t afford to lose.

Vic Duthil

Seychellois Ocean Activist
Aldabra isn't a destination, it's a sanctuary. Will we only act when there's nothing wild left to save? Seychellois: let's be responsible guardians before it's too late.
Leonardo DiCaprio

Actor & Environmentalist
“Earth Alliance and Friends of Aldabra are calling on the Seychelles government to STOP the construction and protect this natural treasure once and for all.”
Lucie Harter

Founder of Seychelles At Heart
“My concern being Seychellois is the fact that our leaders, our government, sells Seychelles as this leader in conservation, which we really aren’t, because on the ground the reality paints a very different picture”
Cristina Mittermeier

Photographer, Conservationist &
Co-Founder of SeaLegacy
“Unsustainable development will take from nature and Seychellois to benefit a few. SeaLegacy stands with Friends of Aldabra to urge Seychelles and UNESCO to protect this precious ecosystem.”
Carlos Mallo

Civil Engineer & 2025 Goldman Environmental Prize Winner
“Nature is easy to destroy, but incredibly hard and costly to restore. Aldabra is one of the world’s great biodiversity hotspots; if we lost it, we may never get it back.”
Celina Chien

Photographer, Conservationist & Campaigner
“What’s the point of UNESCO and international protections if the highest bidder can destroy the Aldabra Islands with zero accountability? The global community cannot turn a blind eye.”
Frances Benstrong

Seychellois Marine Educator
“Aldabra is a gem to the world. We really need your voice, specialement Seselwa.”
Callie Veelenturf

Marine Biologist & NatGeo Explorer
“We are calling on the global ocean community to stand up for Aldabra and protect these islands from devastating development projects.”
Gilbert Victor

Seychellois Seafarer & Fisherman
“Aldabra will always be something special for Seychelles, and something that needs to be protected…
I have grandchildren. I want them to at least see something that I saw when I was growing up.”
Christian Vanizette

Obama Scholar & Co-Founder of Chilli
“Friends of Aldabra shows exactly why I believe in youth movements, they’re showing everything Chilli.club can achieve to protect our oceans!”

Leading scientists across the globe oppose the development

Botanic Gardens Conservation International & IUCN SSC Plant Conservation Committee
IUCN Species Survival Commission Marine Turtle Specialist Group
State of the World’s Sea Turtles
IUCN Species Survival Commission Tortoise & Freshwater Specialist Group
IUCN Sirenia Specialist Group
World Heritage Committee Australia Delegate
Marine Research Foundation
Technical Advisory Board CMS IOSEA Sea Turtles, and Dugongs
The Orianne Society
Turtle Survival Alliance
The Turtle Conservancy
IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group