April 1997 
samples possessed holes drilled by the calcrpillars right 
imo the center of ilie frails. All three had hollow centres 
We look ihc caterpillars to Ihe National Musucms of 
Kenya. Entomology Department for identification and 
round that they belong to Ihc Lepidoplcran family 
Noctuidae. Further identification of caterpillars and adult 
moths caplured on 30 July 1966 between 1900 and 2100 
hr was obtained from Cardiff University of Wales. UK 
where they were identified as noctutd moths of the 
species Cuculia umbraitca (shark moths). 
Il would appear ihen that the insects lay eggs on Ihe 
floral lips ai about the time of pollination, ihe eggs hatch 
there and the larvae then wanders down Ihe rachis call ng 
all the Dora bracts before eating through the fruit lo the 
placentas After eating all the placental material, they 
pupuie and emerge as adults as the mature capsules 
rupture The specimens we have preserved contain 
evidence of this Although we did nol explore the 
possibility of the shark moth being a pollinator of/-: 
angolenxtx, such pollination bv moths is not uncommon 
(Johnson. 1955a. 1955b). 
Acknowledgements 
Many thanks lo Prof. Len Newton with whom I am doing 
fieldwork and lo our assistants Mr Charles Kimunge 
and Mr Joscphat Muthanga I wish to thank Mr .Arturo 
Foresti for his continued support of us Tlianks very 
much lo Mr John Ofiila of die CardiffUniversity of Whies. 
References 
Johnson. S.D ( 1955a). Moth pollination of die cryptic 
Cape Orchid Monadenla ophrydea Flora 190: 105- 
108 
Johnson. S.D. (1955b). Observations of hawkmoth 
pollination in the South African orchid Dmi cnoptn 
Ford J. Boi. 15: 121-125. 
Mr John Ochora. Department of Botany. Kcnyalta 
University of Agriculture nnd Technology. PO Box 
62000. Nairobi. Kenya 
HELP NEEDED1 THE PLIGHT OF THE GIANT 
TORTOISES OF CHANGUU ISLAND, ZANZIBAR 
The giant tortoises Geochelone glgantea of Clianguu 
Island. Zanzibar, arc belies ed to have originated from 
Aldabra. in tlic Indian Ocean, in Ihe early 19th Century 
Until recently Changuu remained a safe haven for these 
magnificent, y cl vulnerable, tortoises In the 1950s it w as 
reported that there were 200 tortoises on the island 
However, in 1 990 tlic population had dropped lo 50 In 
1996 Mr Steve Tolan drew attention to the threats that 
faced this unique group of animals. A survey later in the 
year by the World Society for the Protection of Animals 
(WSPA). together with Professor John Cooper, revealed 
that only nine adults remained on the island It appeared 
that tortoises were being stolen, probably to supply the 
international trade Thai any adults would remain by the 
millennium seemed extremely unlikely. 
At the time of die 1996 survey there were also 84 baby 
tortoises on Changuu, but these were kept in poor 
conditions in a locked shed. Originally babies were 
released on the island when they reached five years of 
age. but the likelihood of their being stolen meant dial 
they now had to remain in Ihe shed, widt dwindling 
numbers of hatchlings joining them each year It was 
disturbing news that Ihe 1 996 survey revealed no smnll- 
lo-rocdium-sizcd tortoises, even though each year a new 
batch had been released from the rearing shed 
Something had to be done quickly lo ensure that die 
giant tortoises would survive, so WSPA. in conjunction 
with tltc Zanzibar Tourist Corporation and lie assistance 
or Drs Meredith Kennedy and Dennis Doughty, bodi 
veterinarians, developed a rescue plan In September 
1 996 all 84 babies were relocated to a fenced compound 
in the grounds of Livingstone House on the main 
Zanzibar Island, while the nine remaining adults were 
numbered and closely monitored on Changuu 
Disaster struck soon after, when in November 1996 
over half the youngsters were stolen from their 
compound on Zanzibar, and two adults (a male and a 
female) disappeared from Changuu. However, this 
setback turned lo advantage A US S500 reward prompted 
an informer to come forward and as a result, a man was 
arrested in Dares Salaam Nine adult tortoises were seized 
(including Ihe two recently marked ones stolen from 
Clianguu), and all were returned to Zanzibar Furtlter 
information led authorities to another person who was 
found lo be In possession of 13 adults. 8 mid-aged and 
30 youngsters. 
These seizures have quadrupled Ihc Zanzibar 
population of 3dull giant tortoises and show what can 
be achieved by dedicated effort in a relatively short space 
of time However, stronger security measures, better 
vigilance, vcicnnaty tests on confiscated animals and 
funding for tlic larger food bill, are all essential to increase 
the populauon on Changuu and lo provide Ihe tortoises 
with a secure future. We are therefore seeking the 
assistance of herpetologists, naturalists, and other 
concerned persons in order lo provide these. For tunher 
information on how you can help, contact John E. Cooper 
Informnuon about the appeal and its achievements 
will be widely published in hcrpctological and 
conservation journals 
Sieve TolanS John E Cooper, Durrell Institute of 
Conservation and Ecology. University of Kent. 
Canleibury. Kent. CT2 7PD. England 
