‘TORTOISE mania’ has taken over Jersey, organisers of the popular trail have said, as a record number of users have downloaded the Takeover app.
In the six weeks since 50 large tortoise sculptures were put in place around the Island, in addition to 65 smaller ones, the Tortoise Takeover app – sponsored by the government – has been downloaded more than 10,000 times.
This marks 50% more downloads than the Go Wild Gorillas app, which was downloaded 6,672 times over the trail’s 11-week duration in 2019.
Alexandra Shears, director of communications and fundraising at Durrell, said it was ‘amazing’ to ‘see how much the Island has engaged with Tortoise Takeover’.
‘As well as raising funds to build a new reptile and amphibian house here at Jersey Zoo, we wanted the trail to help Islanders reconnect with nature and explore parts of the Island that they had not been to before,’ she said.
She added that ‘the app stats speak for themselves’, saying: ‘Tortoise mania really has taken over.’
Users can download the free Tortoise Takeover app on the Google Play or App Store. The tool enables them to unlock sculptures, view an interactive map, collect rewards, upload photos and keep an eye on their trail statistics.
At the end of the trail, the giant tortoise sculptures will be auctioned off by Durrell to raise funds to build a new reptile and amphibian house at Jersey Zoo.
