a few images for fun

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Kapidolo Farms

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The tent photo was arranged, in that I spent some time framing the photo. There is some weird funkyness in that image, don't know why. She was walking along a gravel road just south of Karoo National Park in RSA. The old somewhat greenish angulate was in the Karoo National Botanic Garden. The other angulate in the plastic bucket was found near Prince Albert, also RSA.

I figured that when we pick up a tortoise to get some morphometric data and it drops its bladder on us, we ought to give it a moment to drink, so that's why it's in a bucket. After/before each use of the bucket we sanitized it with clear ammonia.

Will
 
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Yvonne G

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mctlong said:
Nice pics. Is the star a wild tortoise as well or is that your pet?

If I'm not mistaken...African tent tortoise.
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Yeah, that's correct, 'tent' is short for Psammobates tentorius, a native African species. The image is of a wild animal. I adjusted it's position so there was not a shadow on its face, otherwise it is on the substrate as found - a gravel road near Karoo National Park in the Republic of South Africa (RSA). No it is not a pet, mine or any ones else.

Star does refer to several species, but I often think of the Indian Star tortoise Geochelone elegans when someone say 'star'.

That's why I posted the images under the sub-forum of "all other African Tortoises". I get confused with the images and common names used in the "photo" sub-forum.

Glad you like the images.

Will
 

Tom

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Very nice. The bucket Angulate looks very alert and unafraid. What was his personality like? The leopards that I encountered down on the Cape showed no fear of people, or baboons for that matter, whatsoever. Marched right by me like I wasn't even there.
 

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When picked up, after several in-situ photos, they struggle or closed up. The soak/drink is the last thing they have to do with us, and the bucket is tipped towards where they had been picked up from. They all lingered in the bucket for a long time, upto an hour. I do not recall exactly when in the bucket period the image was taken, but they all seem to first look around like, it's time to make their escape, then they realize they are in water, the head is plunged in, they drank, and most then sat there for quite awhile. Many defecated in that water. We collected those small gifts and gave them to some scientists who also ran a native plant nursery, so they could see what may grow. I have no result of those seeds.

The leopards and Angulates act like they are invisible, so don't seem too disturbed by your presence until you touch them.

The tents run as fast as they can. They are willey little tortoises. They are like fence lizards on a post, they move around the bush, and keep an eye on you.

Will
 

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Love reading your posts, Will. Sounds like you spend a lot of time doing research in the wild - are you a biologist/herpetologist or something of the like?
 

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theTurtleRoom said:
Love reading your posts, Will. Sounds like you spend a lot of time doing research in the wild - are you a biologist/herpetologist or something of the like?

I would say, if pressed to characterize myself, I am a 'blue collar scientist'.

Will
 

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Will said:
theTurtleRoom said:
Love reading your posts, Will. Sounds like you spend a lot of time doing research in the wild - are you a biologist/herpetologist or something of the like?

I would say, if pressed to characterize myself, I am a 'blue collar scientist'.

Will

Haha, great description! ;)
 

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Will said:
When picked up, after several in-situ photos, they struggle or closed up. The soak/drink is the last thing they have to do with us, and the bucket is tipped towards where they had been picked up from. They all lingered in the bucket for a long time, upto an hour. I do not recall exactly when in the bucket period the image was taken, but they all seem to first look around like, it's time to make their escape, then they realize they are in water, the head is plunged in, they drank, and most then sat there for quite awhile. Many defecated in that water. We collected those small gifts and gave them to some scientists who also ran a native plant nursery, so they could see what may grow. I have no result of those seeds.

The leopards and Angulates act like they are invisible, so don't seem too disturbed by your presence until you touch them.

The tents run as fast as they can. They are willey little tortoises. They are like fence lizards on a post, they move around the bush, and keep an eye on you.

Will

Info like this is priceless. Thank you. Please continue.
 

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Did you ever see any P.T tremeni? Man those are beyond spectacular tents. By the way is this one a tentorius tentorius or oculifera?
 

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Wow, Kelly, this thread has been non active for almost a year, thanks for the bump.

I have been actively uninterested in seeking clarity on the subspecies of tent tortoises, specifically, P.t.ssp, as I think, based on no research at all, they are just a single variable species. Geometric and seratted/kalahari being two other species in the genus.

Think about all the lit that embodies two subspecies of speckled padlopper, just to have qualified phylogenetics people say "hey it's one variable species BTW, these over here are a different species altogether."

To me without locality data tents P.t. spp are just tents. In that image I say where I was, so you decide which subspecies it was. Again we were just east of Prince Albert in the southern most Karoo Western Cape Province.

And Kelly, no there was nothing coming home with me in my luggage, I get the idea that could have crossed your mind.

I'll Go back, had a great time, I want to see six more species in the wild.

Will
 

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Interesting. If I recall and I will have to look deeply on some late 80s or early 90s publishings. I want to say it was Durrell. The info cited populations of tents and naturally intergraded specimens of P.tentorius. I do agree geometric is definitely a desperate species. Given the far southern solitary range. You let me know when you plan to go. I have been arranging a trip for next fall. I know you would know best. I figure this time over their would be a good time. Yes? End of winter into spring?
 
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