210 LB SULCATA

[DeanS]

You've seen this picture before. I've posted it several times in different threads. Now, over the past couple of weeks, the history of the tortoise...and his owner...are revealed. This is Bill, a 46-year-old, 96 kg (over 210 pounds) sulcata. The owner is Tomas Diagne...he runs the African Chelonian Institute and the Tortoise Village in Senegal. He will be the keynote speaker at the TTPG banquet this week. He received the Rolex Award for Enterprise. Here's the link...be sure to click on the gallery photos under Mr. Diagne's photo...not the GALLERY icon in the header.

http://rolexawards.com/en/the-laureates/tomasdiagne-tortoisesacrossafrica.jsp

 

[Missy]

Wow that is great.

 

[dmarcus]

Thats cool, I think it would be awesome to hear him speak...

 

[froghaven5]

Really cool.

 

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

210 lb. sulcata, WOW! Biggest so far . I notice that their shell's are extremely smooth in the pic. But Im sure they would be in their homeland. Can't get anymore natural then that.

 

[DeanS]

One of the things I plan to find out from him...whether there is a difference in the two ssp of sulcata...I've seen some that have smooth armor on theire front legs...though most have a more jagged armor...

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Wish I could attend~!

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

I also wish I could attend. Wow, I love that pic!!

 

[Shelly]

The one on the left looks huge as well.

 

[bfmorris]

210 lb. sulcata, WOW! Biggest so far . I notice that their shell's are extremely smooth in the pic. But Im sure they would be in their homeland. Can't get anymore natural then that.

For some reason, G. sulcata from the Sudan get much larger, even. I hadn't realised how large mine actually were until about 6 years ago when I took a male to the vet for an injury. He weighed in at 246 pounds and he was not one of my largest males! I'll start a thread and post up some photos.

 

[DeanS]

He weighed in at 246 pounds and he was not one of my largest males! I'll start a thread and post up some photos.

Wow! Looking forward to that!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

He weighed in at 246 pounds and he was not one of my largest males! I'll start a thread and post up some photos.

Wow! Looking forward to that!

WOW, I also am looking forward to those pictures. Please hurry!

 

[cemmons12]

At Coopers current rate of growth I think he may get close to this size! Lol!

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

One of the things I plan to find out from him...whether there is a difference in the two ssp of sulcata...I've seen some that have smooth armor on theire front legs...though most have a more jagged armor...

Wow...I didn't know there were two ssp of Sulcatas. But yeah, I did notice the "smooth" armor on the forelimbs of those animals in the photo. Thought that was unusual...now I know why!

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Great link, thank you!

BTW - My herpetology professor in Florida had two sulcatas, each weighing about 250 lbs.

 

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

210 lb. sulcata, WOW! Biggest so far . I notice that their shell's are extremely smooth in the pic. But Im sure they would be in their homeland. Can't get anymore natural then that.

For some reason, G. sulcata from the Sudan get much larger, even. I hadn't realised how large mine actually were until about 6 years ago when I took a male to the vet for an injury. He weighed in at 246 pounds and he was not one of my largest males! I'll start a thread and post up some photos.

246 lbs. holy crap batman!! Yes you got to start a thread on this. I agree with Dean. Please do so

 

[DeanS]

Right now Aladar is 22" and about 55 lbs. I would love to see what he would look like when (and if) he grows that large.

Hey another thing...I just realized that this article is about 13 years old...that means Bill weighed 210 lbs in 1998...HMMMMMMM!

 

[austinl01]

Is there a growth chart anywhere that relates the age to the weight of sulcatas?

 

[DeanS]

It's more an individual chart than anything else! I've seen sulcatas that are 3" at 2 years and those that are 10" at a year-and-a-half. Aladar is 9-years-old. Bill was 46 in the top picture. If Mr Diagne has a chart when I see him or if he has one that he can make available online...I'll surely ask. But, I don't think there would be a generic chart.