Page 6 - Summer 2014 magazine

The tortoises are all awake and hungry. The first example, we tell visitors that each tortoise has 13
tortoise to wake up this year was Mae; she came out of scutes or sections on their top shell. One of the female
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her burrow on February 12 . With the changes in the tortoises in our habitat has 14 scutes; probably how
weather this spring, a few tortoises would venture out, she got the name Shelby. Finally, we put together a
the cold wind would blow and they would head right sheet with photos of each tortoise’s most distinguish-
back into the burrow. A few days later they would try ing characteristics. We titled it “Where is the Red

again. The tortoises emerged gradually during Febru- Dot?” Now that’s a cheat sheet!
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ary and March. Finally, on April 7 at 4:10 p.m. the
Volunteers also get to know the personalities of the
last tortoise came out: Max of course!
tortoises. That’s right; each tortoise is an individual
An essential skill with his or
for Tortoise Habitat her own
Monitors is the abil- quirks. Betty

ity to tell the tor- is the slowest
toises apart. This eater; she
takes a keen eye, eats steadily,
determination and a but is always
cheat sheet! You the last to
may have noticed finish. Max

the volunteers tak- likes to sleep
ing photos of the in; he usually Lucie enjoys her meal in solitude
tortoises’ backsides. comes out
The torts may pro- just as the volunteers are leaving. Lucie may be the
test that it is not smartest one; she waits until all the females are done
Who are you?
their best side, but it eating, then she comes out. Everyone is full and she
is where most of their identifying red dots are located. can eat in peace.

Unfortunately, each tiny red dot has a five And then there is Maxine.
digit number on it. Also unfortunately, four of She is the largest female, weigh-
the female tortoises have the red dot in exactly ing in at more than 16 pounds.
the same place on their shell. So much for the She never misses a meal unless
keen eye! she is getting ready to lay eggs.

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We noted each difference in their shells. For On May 24 , Maxine ate 5%
of her chow. At 10 a.m. she
Magnifying glasses are needed
to read the tiny red ID tags started digging a nest right by
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