Page 6 - Gateways_2019-Fall

News Bites

The latest noteworthy news from around
Brookfield Zoo and beyond the gates is right
at your fingertips.

Meet an Animal PROGRAMS
Ambassador

Each issue, we’ll introduce you to one of Brookfield Zoo’s
Animal Ambassadors! Keep your eyes peeled, you just might
run into these fascinating creatures on your next trip to the
zoo. Here, meet Rotunda Sulcata Tortoise.

Typical Day: Rotunda loves to explore. She spends
almost every day slowly walking around her home at
Hamill Family Wild Encounters. When the weather is nice,
Rotunda enjoys trips around the zoo visiting with guests,
goats, and even wallabies. You might also see her with
one of our animal care specialists participating in an
unscheduled Zoo Chat around the park.
Fun Facts: While Rotunda has only been in our Animal
Ambassador program for about a year, she has lived at
Brookfield Zoo for many years. You may have seen her
spending time with our giraffes or hanging out with the
other tortoises in their summer home by Pachyderms.
Rotunda was chosen for the Animal Ambassador
program because she is great with guest interactions
and helps visitors learn about tortoises.
About Sulcatas: Sulcatas, or African spur-thighed
tortoises, are native to Africa, and have become one of
the most popular tortoises in the pet trade. But they
require an extreme commitment, making them less-
than-ideal pets. They are only about two inches long
upon hatching, leading people to think they would
make an easy pet, but they continue to grow for about
three decades. Females top out around 100 pounds,
and the much larger males can weigh almost 200
pounds. They can also live over 70 years! In addition,
these skilled diggers can create burrows 10 feet deep
to escape the heat of the day—but the same feet that
help them dig burrows in Africa help them dig under
fences and through the walls of their owners’ homes.
Because of their large adult size and destructive
capabilities, we actively discourage you from taking
these enormous tortoises home as pets!

6 GATEWAYS | NEWS BITES