Psammobates, Homopus, & Chersina oh my

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fbolzicco

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Hi will, this pics are amazing..
where did you and your friend met those animals?

p.s. that's the darkest chersina I've ever seen!!
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Chersina: A study plot run by Sue Milton and Richard Dean west of Prince Albert RSA, and Karoo National Botanic gardens.
Geometrics and Femoralis: at a I signed my life away to not say location.
Tents: at the Milton/Dean plot, and along the southern border of Karoo National Park, more or less.

All these images are taken during the southern hemisphere's very early spring.

That male femoralis off the ground in the photo, mouth agape, he wanted to bite, he even tried to take quick nips as he was turned so the sun would illuminate the photo.

Will
 

N2TORTS

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Very Nice !!!.. thanks for sharing Will ~ :D
 

billskleins

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Great photos.
Really would like to visit one day.
But as a casual tourist I know I would never get to see these tortoises.
So thanks for sharing.
 

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billskleins said:
Great photos.
Really would like to visit one day.
But as a casual tourist I know I would never get to see these tortoises.
So thanks for sharing.

You can, it's just not a safari park labeled "The Big Five". You have to make your own safari of it.

Will
 

Sulcata_Sandy

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Will said:
Chersina: A study plot run by Sue Milton and Richard Dean west of Prince Albert RSA, and Karoo National Botanic gardens.
Geometrics and Femoralis: at a I signed my life away to not say location.
Tents: at the Milton/Dean plot, and along the southern border of Karoo National Park, more or less.

All these images are taken during the southern hemisphere's very early spring.

That male femoralis off the ground in the photo, mouth agape, he wanted to bite, he even tried to take quick nips as he was turned so the sun would illuminate the photo.

Will

OMG OMG! Will, I've been looking for a Geometric! Read a ton about them, and my boss goes to Namibia every year as a volunteer wildlife DVM. She can't say enough awesome things about that species. Do you have any pix?


Any MORE pix...ugh
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Re: RE: Psammobates, Homopus, & Chersina oh my

Sulcata_Sandy said:
Will said:
Chersina: A study plot run by Sue Milton and Richard Dean west of Prince Albert RSA, and Karoo National Botanic gardens.
Geometrics and Femoralis: at a I signed my life away to not say location.
Tents: at the Milton/Dean plot, and along the southern border of Karoo National Park, more or less.

All these images are taken during the southern hemisphere's very early spring.

That male femoralis off the ground in the photo, mouth agape, he wanted to bite, he even tried to take quick nips as he was turned so the sun would illuminate the photo.

Will

OMG OMG! Will, I've been looking for a Geometric! Read a ton about them, and my boss goes to Namibia every year as a volunteer wildlife DVM. She can't say enough awesome things about that species. Do you have any pix?


Any MORE pix...ugh



I'll suppose you and your boss got a bit more reading to do. Geometrics are highly protected, from a very small part of the Western Cape province of South Africa, not Namibia. Most of the population localities are not know outside of the researchers and authorites of the area.

RSA wildlife authorities are pretty fierce, they put lojacks in sago palms, actually put people in jail for poaching. Even well know with lots-to-lose academics and researchers have gotten caught with a hand in that cookie jar.

It is a "you have to know someone" kind of field trip. All the other species much less so. Geometrics are very rare, and once you are where they are, you still will have a difficult time finding them. I was very lucky on many of these accounts, and got to go with an escourt who is an authority.

Good luck with the further reading of the ton on them.

Will
 

batchick

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Those geometrics are awesome. And you're dead right about the authorities here, particularly in the western cape. The other problem we seem to have is people releasing leopard tortoises that they've decided they don't actually want anymore into nature reserves where leopards have no business being. An ecologist friend of mine was actually asked to take on one for her garden to try to clear the reserve of the errant torts. The authorities are very good about permitted and ecosystem management
 

Sulcata_Sandy

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Oh, we know all that. When she goes to Namibia, she is all over SA, Zimbabwe, etc., has friends there, as do I. Zimbabwe is simply where the veterinary "station" were she works and has a vehicle. She is ballsy...I am surprised she's not tried to take one. Since I learned you cannot really buy them there...not legally anyway...I keep hoping someone in the states has them.

It's just a species now that I am fascinated with, and this is the first mention I've seen of them here.
I just want to see more pictures of them, learn more about their behavior, breeding, etc.

Yes, I have done plenty of research. I know the laws all too well. [DISAPPOINTED FACE]
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Will said:
Some images to make your tortoises clothes feel tight and a bit moist. Images are mine and a friend, Reza. Will

Hi TFO friends,

I took the images down, they were attracting, IMO, the wrong kind of attention.

We often talk about ploughshare tortoises how cool they are, and the pros and cons to their captive and wild state, how they are used for one agenda or another blah blah blah.

But many are doing OK in captivity, and breeding and are now legal, one way or another in some collections around the world.

I don't know if there is even one legal geometric anywhere in the world ex-situ, that is open, displayed and bred. There may be tight lipped closet breeders out there, no doubt there are.

I wanted to share a wildlife experience, that is what is most interesting to me. That I garnered some other perspectives that I had not anticipated is as much my own fallacy of thought as some of what popped up due to the images displayed.

If you love them that much I would be happy to direct you where a few $$ might help those folks in that country do better with their wild management.

Those images were from the effort of a friend, so they are now back in his keeping.

Sorry, my bad.

Will
 

tortadise

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Hi TFO friends,

I took the images down, they were attracting, IMO, the wrong kind of attention.

We often talk about ploughshare tortoises how cool they are, and the pros and cons to their captive and wild state, how they are used for one agenda or another blah blah blah.

But many are doing OK in captivity, and breeding and are now legal, one way or another in some collections around the world.

I don't know if there is even one legal geometric anywhere in the world ex-situ, that is open, displayed and bred. There may be tight lipped closet breeders out there, no doubt there are.

I wanted to share a wildlife experience, that is what is most interesting to me. That I garnered some other perspectives that I had not anticipated is as much my own fallacy of thought as some of what popped up due to the images displayed.

If you love them that much I would be happy to direct you where a few $$ might help those folks in that country do better with their wild management.

Those images were from the effort of a friend, so they are now back in his keeping.

Sorry, my bad.

Will
Your definitely right Will. Did some checking a week ago or so. Well my buddy whom does all the regulation and permit writing for zoos. Absolute zero known ISIS p.geometricus species are being worked with. Sad IMO really these are way more detrimented of a species of chelonian than any Malagasy species. Yniphora actually outnumbers geometricus in wild and captive population together. Such beautiful and unique animals. My most desired species to work with for sure. Too bad I can't see the pics. I understand reasons for taking them down though. Say any idea of any homopus intergrading studies done with colleagues you know down there? I know there have been documented tentorius/oculifera inter grades, but I'm curious if any homopus have?
 
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