We spent most of yesterday at the Waco Zoo for Bird Conservation Day (no, not taxidermy ). Our stand was just in front of the Galapagos Tortoise exhibit. October [13--bird conservation day at Waco Zoo ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden ) The tortoises (Skipper, the Professor, and Gilligan) were fairly active--Gilligan moved his head, noticeably. He also seemed to enjoy watching the crowd, but since turtles don't smile much, it was hard to tell. Just watchin' ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden ) The high point of the day was when Skipper actually got up and walked! Movin' out ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden ) After all that frenetic activity, Gilligan and Skipper took naps in a mud puddle. Oh, and we had fun, too, meeting folks and talking about feeders and bird houses. I must admit it was nice to be near something that moves slower than I do!
I think I might be in with a chance of outrunning those tortoises. I've been training hard and can already beat a snail to the finish line. Love the look of your stall by the way. So glad you had fun day.
Frank, we had to ask a curator the ages of the tortoises after a couple of people asked us (sitting in front of the tortoises with a bunch of bird stuff makes you an instant authority on hard-shelled critters?). Skipper is about 100, Gilligan is around 80, and the youngster (the Professor) is in the 40-50 years range. Cheryl, without the tortoises I think our table wouldn't have attracted much traffic. Remind me to bring some red-eared turtles with us next year! Eileen, thank you for the stall compliment. We worked on getting stuff together to interest the public in providing habitat for birds. Of course, the birds won't be grateful . . . .
My niece, who lives in Phoenix, Arizona, has two tortoises in her backyard. I don't know how old they are but they are big. She has a water tub for them to swim and feeds them. She's had them a long time. She's waiting for little tortoises.But so far that hasn't happened. I just went and fed and watered my birds. It was cold last night. I haven't seen too many today. It's windy, too so maybe they are in hiding. dooley
That looks like a Geochelone sulcata, spur thigh tortoise, to me. I have had them. I love them. They can be very friendly to humans.
