Leopard Tortoise at Areena
Posted on: August 4, 2021, in News
The Leopard tortoise, are a large tortoise species that have marks on their carapace like a leopard. And yes that’s right we have beautiful leopard tortoises living among us in the wild calling Areena home. Come and meet Rambo, Randel, Pickle, Meryl, Bobby and Tarzan’s Jane. We have named each tortoise we come across for their safety and tractability.
Rambo loves to climb the steep Areena driveway and visit tortoise friends across the road we surmise.
If you are lucky enough one might casually pass by your unit or campsite. Biologist Matt Evans revealed that tortoises just want to be loved and can feel a touch on their shell. So give him or her a gentle pat on the back and off they go.
Did you know?
- A group of tortoises is called a creep.
- They can smell with their throats
- The oldest tortoise that ever lived got to 152 years old.
- Most Tortoises can’t swim, they float and drift, but they can hold their breath for a very long time. However, Leopard Tortoises can swim well enough to cross rivers or lakes. They have thick legs, the ones in the front have a paddle-like shape that helps them swim. They swim rather slowly and falling into water does not stress them as they float with their heads out of the water for hours on end.
- The Leopard tortoise is a member of the Small 5 (along with the rhino beetle, the red-billed buffalo weaver, elephant shrew and the antlion)
- The Leopard tortoise can reach up to 40kg
Tortoise Fun Fact:
In 1968, two tortoises where part of the crew on the first spacecraft to go around the moon. They survived and got back home ready for a big meal. That’s one small step for a tortoise, one giant leap for tortoise kind.
I know so cool, but I can promise you our tortoises are way cooler.
