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Giant tortoise hunts, kills and eats seabird in never-before-seen wild attack
A “vegetarian” giant tortoise has been caught on camera attacking and eating a seabird.
The “completely unexpected behaviour” is believed to be the first time a tortoise has been caught deliberately hunting prey in the wild.
It was previously thought the species were vegetarian, only occasionally feeding on bones and snail shells for calcium as part of their plant-based diet.
But researchers now believe - based on the interaction in the “horrifying” footage - that tortoises on Seychelles’ Fregate island frequently approach prey, which is usually too fast or agile to be caught.
