Saw this posted on rocket hub and thought of some of you.

[Melly-n-shorty]

Hi Everyone!
sorry I have not been on for a while, I quit my job and started up my own business... Can be a little distracting, especially when you love what you are doing! How is everyone? Duma and shorty are getting big, they enjoyed the summer outside so much! they both seem restless in their indoor enclosures this winter.

any way, I was checking out a website my friend sent me and I thought some of you might find it interesting. I dont know much about this type of tortoise personally but thought it was cool. Its a group of Biologists seeking funding to study a island population of hermann's tortoise, dice snakes, and nose-horned vipers. They say in the video the tortoise population is 90% male... wonder why that is?

http://www.rockethub.com/projects/12376-reptile-megalopolis

 

[MrJorgensen]

I found it very interesting. Thank you for sharing! Pretty neat to see how different an isolated population can be. It reminded me of how the species in the Galapagos vary from island to island.

 

[Yvonne G]

It must be the weather, since the sex is temperature determined.

 

[Melly-n-shorty]

your welcome I hope they have a chance to complete their research, I am very curious to know why most of the tortoise are male!

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It must be the weather, since the sex is temperature determined.

Is that the only factor? or do you think there could be other factors?

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

It must be the weather, since the sex is temperature determined.

Is that the only factor? or do you think there could be other factors?
[/quote]

Nest site selection, is the other half of temp/sex ratio. Where the females lay the eggs, full sun, partial shade etc. When they lay - all early spring, no double clutch for warmer part of the year? There are a few behaviors that play a role along with incubation temp that can skew a population.

Cool study.

Will