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The African spurred tortoise (Geochelone sulcata), also called the sulcata tortoise, is a species of tortoise which inhabits the southern edge of the Sahara desert, in northern Africa. It is the third-largest species of tortoise in the world and the largest species of mainland tortoise not found on an island.
(Source: Wikipedia)
Our tortoises have just recently become active so I thought today would be as good a day as any to get all five out in the middle of our lawn for a spot of exercise while the sun was still shining.
At the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
1. In a year of regular visits to the Desert Museum I never saw one of these tortoises until my recent trip in September. They like to hide in their burrows.
2. I found out that I could adopt one, but not own one. All desert tortoises in Arizona are owned by the state by law. Individuals may be granted custody. I also found they are picky eaters and I would have to spend lots of time scrounging in the desert for edible greens for them.
3. I decided to just visit them at the Desert Museum and take my chances on seeing them there!
Tortoises are land-creatures, turtles are sea-creatures, and I learned something.
Edmonton, AB. June 2009.
Looks better full screen He/she almost looks like a smile is coming on the face. The eyes are what will lock you in. This turtle is large enough for a toddler to ride on.
The beauty of this tortoise sadly has resulted in its being quite popular in the exotic pet trade. A large number of specimens of this species are found in the illegal wildlife trade in India. Few studies exist which have quantified wild populations and the effect of trade on them. They are found in dry areas and scrub forests in India and Sri Lanka.
A giant tortoise seen in the Santa Cruz Highlands.
There are several subspecies of the giant tortoise in the Galapagos, with variations across the different islands (more or less). They are big, majestic creatures, and move at surprising speed!
This is Samson, an African Spurred Tortoise. I was photographing in an indoor orchid garden when he came barreling past, making a beeline for the fence outside. It was a little sad...he stood at the fence gate (do turtles stand though?) and peered out the three-inch space to the unattainable freedom beyond. He stayed there for quite awhile. He had a female partner in an enclosure inside. Apparently she wasn't as easy-going as Samson, so she didn't get the run of the place.
Our new addition!
This is Uncas (please don't ask why). It's a horsfield tortoise.
Only about 12 weeks old and about 2 inches long.
I visited the Reptile House. This guy was lounging outside. I'd say he was about 5-6 feet long and 3 feet wide. Tortoises can live to be more than a hundred years.
Indian Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegans) is a species of tortoise found in dry areas and scrub forest in India and Sri Lanka. The sexual dimorphism of adult Indian star tortoises is quite apparent. Females are considerably larger than their male counterparts. In addition, the females' plastrons are much flatter than those of the males, which have a concave shape.
Isolde bought this tortoise for R 100.00 from somebody next to the road. When we left it in the garden she started burrowing immediately and laid 7 eggs 3 hours later