Recognising the value of Aldabra Atoll’s terrestrial and marine ecosystems, Aldabra was declared a special reserve in 1981 by the Seychelles government. Later on, due to its outstanding universal values, Aldabra was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. This meant that there was no extraction of the resources, no destruction of habitat and legal protection of the marine protected area. This legislative and legal framework provides the basis and support for protection of Aldabra and its biodiversity. Since then, green turtle nesting habitat have therefore been protected from development and destruction and green turtles on Aldabra, on land and in the sea, have been protected against poaching. In 2018, the marine protected area around Aldabra has been extended and covers now the whole Aldabra group inclusive Cosmoledo, Astove and Assumption. This represents an increased by 74,400 square kilometres of waters in this area, further strengthening the legal protection of the nesting habitat in Seychelles’ Outer islands.