With the arrival of the Dutch, vast numbers of both tortoise species were slaughtered—either for food (for humans or pigs) or to be burned for fat and oil.

In addition, they introduced invasive species such as rats, cats and pigs, which ate the tortoises' eggs and hatchlings.

In 1870, the Governor Sir Henry Barkly was concerned about the vanishing species and, in his enquiries, was told about the 1844 expedition by one of its members, Mr. William Kerr.

Kerr informed the Governor that Mr. Corby, one of the other 1844 explorers, "captured a female land tortoise in one of the caves on Round Island and brought it to Mauritius, where it produced a numerous progeny, which were distributed among his acquaintance."

At the unknown point when the last of Corby's hatchlings died or was killed, the species would have become totally extinct.