Baby Angulates

[JeannineD]

We get a batch of babies every year and they are pretty adorable. My kids mark them with a dot of poster paint so we can track their movements. It washes off after a while but it gives us some idea of how they move and grow over a couple of years.

 

[Yvonne G]

Wow! How lucky is that?

 

[Jacqui]

They are pretty. So what have you found about their movements, do they travel far? How is their survival rate seeming?

 

[batchick]

Wow. Having only seen adults, it is amazing to see such little ones.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

Beautiful!!!

 

[l0velesly]

Absolutely beautiful! What a blessing.

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

That is way too cool!!! You are so lucky!!!!

 

[nicoleandrocky]

such little cuties! ;D

 

[DesertGrandma]

Enjoying your pictures. Thanks.

 

[coreyc]

That is so awesome keeep the picture coming

 

[Angi]

They are very pretty. Please tell us more about the tracking. Do you live in Africa? Do you let them loose? Are the parents your pets?

 

[JeannineD]

They are pretty. So what have you found about their movements, do they travel far? How is there survival rate seeming?

They don't travel very far, they seem quite content to stay within our garden and the neighbouring gardens (which are unfenced or which have gaps in the fences.)
We see dotted tortoises popping up regularly and we have four dotted ones which live constantly in the front garden. The blue dotted on in the pic has never left the property in over a year, we see him every day in summer. They hibernate over winter. The little purple dotted one was a casualty, he disappeared soon after the pic was taken and we never saw him again.

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They are very pretty. Please tell us more about the tracking. Do you live in Africa? Do you let them loose? Are the parents your pets?

The tracking is very informal, just done for fun. I think I should do it more seriously now, as it would be informative. We just call them by their colours and say "there's white dot" or "there's blue dot."
I live on the very southern tip of Africa, on the Cape coast. We have masses of Angulates here and no one I know keeps them as pets. They just come and go as they please. I don't think they would make very good pets, they are quite wild, don't take food, and they are pretty scrappy creatures, not overly friendly. Very beautiful though, and endlessly interesting!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Very cute!

 

[Jacqui]

They don't travel very far, they seem quite content to stay within our garden and the neighbouring gardens (which are unfenced or which have gaps in the fences.)
We see dotted tortoises popping up regularly and we have four dotted ones which live constantly in the front garden. The blue dotted on in the pic has never left the property in over a year, we see him every day in summer. They hibernate over winter. The little purple dotted one was a casualty, he disappeared soon after the pic was taken and we never saw him again.

Interesting, I am a bit surprised that they don't seem to move very far from where they are hatched.

 

[Tom]

I spent some time there in 2005. Had some friends in Hout bay. Is that any where near you? I was staying in Plattekloof and I was working at locations all over Capetown. Milnerton, Kraafontain, Sommerset West, Tokai Forest, etc... Spent three weeks all the way up in George. I never saw any of that species, but I saw a lot of leopards, both captive and wild. I saw a half dozen leopards at the Cape Point Preserve. Got to hang out with a troop of chacmas for a while too. They were all hanging out in the giant fig tree behind the visitor center. Within 30 minutes we had the whole troop sitting with us.

Anyhow, I find your situation fascinating there with all the tortoises and successive generations. It's amazing that you get to see all the whole life cycle right there in your garden. What a great experience for your kids too. Thanks for sharing it all with us.

 

[JeannineD]

Hi Tom - we are about 5 hours drive from Hout Bay, but 30 minutes from George. The Angulates like scrubby Fynbos and Sedgefield seems to suit them very well. The town is famous for the tortoises, they are a mascot, we have a rather weird mosaic statue of an enormous tortoise, and even road signs warning of tortoise activity. Sedgefield is a tiny coastal town where not much happens so the Angulates feature quite highly here!
Next time you're in SA you'll have to make your way down here!

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Here is a link to a website which has a pic of the tortoise statue - http://www.discover-sedgefield-south-africa.com/

 

[Jacqui]

That statue is neat! Wish it were in my backyard.

 

[leonardo the tmnt]

Amazing!

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

We get a batch of babies every year and they are pretty adorable. My kids mark them with a dot of poster paint so we can track their movements. It washes off after a while but it gives us some idea of how they move and grow over a couple of years.

So cool!