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Aldabra Giant Tortoise


Aldabra Giant Tortoise
Photo Information
Copyright: Ricardo A Palonsky (RAP) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-09
Categories: Reptiles
Camera: Canon Powershot Pro1
Exposure: f/4, 1/220 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Turtles - Tortugas - Tortues [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2004-10-09 8:47
Viewed: 3804
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note

Common Name: Aldabra tortoise, giant tortoise

Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Testudinidae
Genus species: Geochelone (land turtle) gigantea (giant)


Size: males average a 122 cm (4 ft.) carapace (shell) length, females average a 91 cm (3 ft.) carapace length

Weight: males up to 250 kg (550 lb.) or more, females smaller averaging 159 kg (350 lb.)

Description: largest land tortoise, dark gray to black in color with a highly domed thick carapace (shell).
Also has a very long neck to aid in food gathering.

Life span: believed to surpass 100 years

Sexual maturity: determined by size rather than by age; most begin to reproduce when they reach approximately half their eventual size.

Reproduction: females lay between 9-25 eggs of which less than half are fertile.
In a healthy, uncrowded population a second clutch laid within the same breeding season is likely.

Habitat: total wild population restricted to the Aldabra Atoll (a small group of coral islands in the Indian Ocean). There are many different habitats on the islands where tortoises are found such as: scrub, mangrove swamp, and coastal dune.
The largest concentrations of tortoises are found on the grasslands called platins.

Diet: mainly vegetation and small invertebrates. The tortoise is opportunistic in its vegetarian lifestyle. To obtain enough nourishment for survival a tortoise will occasionally feed upon carrion (even carrion of their own species) to supplement its diet.


The Aldabra tortoise was one of the first species to be protected to ensure its survival. Charles Darwin and other notable conservationists of the late 1800's along with the governor of Mauritius set aside a captive breeding population on Mauritius as well as protecting the Aldabra Atoll.

They are the remnants of a larger population of tortoises in the Indian Ocean. There were 18 different species which, because of hunting by sailors and the predation upon eggs and hatchlings by introduced species such as rats, cats, and pigs, were all made extinct with the exception of the Aldabra.

It is believed that tortoises are the longest lived of all animals.
This is hard to prove because they have outlived the scientists that were studying them, and proper records were not kept.

They are the main consumers of vegetation
and will noticeably alter the habitat during their search for food. Tortoises have been known to knock over small trees and shrubs to obtain nutritious leaves.
This makes pathways and clearings within the forest lands for other animals.
Seeds pass through the tortoise's digestive tract and eventually become food for many other species.

jhm, Callie, gerhardt, PDP, TAZ, extramundi, japie, marhowie, touristdidi, Signal-Womb, coyote, Janice has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To TAZ: Merci...RAP 1 10-10 14:50
To marhowie: It is a calumny...RAP 1 10-10 10:16
To jhm: not septent... tortoise JohnRAP 1 10-09 10:16
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Critiques [Translate]

tres belle capture de se vestige du temp.
on dirait meme de la pierre !
Ce genre de tortue donne toujours l'impression d'etre triste et de subir la vie sans jamais se plaindre.
tres jolie portrait de face.
merci .

  • Great 
  • jhm Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 660 W: 0 N: 178] (622)
  • [2004-10-09 10:12]
  • [+]

Ricardo, what a sharpness, the head of this serpent is perfectly, all details are present, excellent macro shot.

  • Great 
  • Callie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1252 W: 106 N: 2659] (7495)
  • [2004-10-09 11:27]

Beatiful, he is NOT, Fun shot, got to love the doleful expression on his mug. I like the rock-like appearance of his skin, Ricardo!

WOW! Ricardo, if someone told me he is going to do a macro of a gaint tortoise I would have said that it's crazy. Realy a fun shot as Callie said. He does look like he is made of stone... but you knew that, right!

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2165 W: 124 N: 2567] (8208)
  • [2004-10-09 12:52]

I have also made a photo of this giant Ricardo,
And I think the style of cropping is very nice, I had cropped it on a other manner, Later I let you see mine turtle, very good job

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2964 W: 366 N: 3848] (11755)
  • [2004-10-09 12:59]

I can almost smell his breath! Great close up shot Ricardo. I think he is handsome in his own way. Great shot and superb note.

  •      
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2385 W: 50 N: 3184] (10918)
  • [2004-10-09 13:14]
  • [+]

Alors ça c'est du portrait de tout près ;-) Cette tortue a une drôle d'expression.
Well done !

Preciosa foto, la agradeble iluminación y el DOF hacen que esta torutuga sea realmente bonita. La calidad del detalle y el colorido son muy buenos. Me gusta el arriesgado recorte, le queda muy bien. Buen trabajo.
Para que despues digas que siempre critico tus fotos, por cierto me encantan tus criticas negativas...

  • Great 
  • japie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
  • [2004-10-09 15:53]

This is a beautiful portrait! The DOF and sharpness is excellent and I like the composition.

Thanks for posting an I love the note.

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2058 W: 315 N: 4404] (14713)
  • [2004-10-09 16:54]

Have you seen the movie: The Neverending Story? This tortoise's face remind me that movie. Nice picture. Very good note. TFS

Hey Ricardo, when you do my portrait can you make me look this good!! But please, remove a few more of the cracks & soften it up a bit please!!! ;-)))

majestic, great! I love this face so much.... I think he looks sad...

Fantastic face-to-face view of this tortoise. The texture of the skin emphasizes the great life span that these reptiles can reach. Beautiful detail. Well done.

WOW, details !
How nice to see this "schildpad" on my screen here, it seems an iron one !
Very nice work from you, Ricardo !

You would think that face was made out of granite. What a great Shot Ricardo. Superb details and texture of its skin. I don't think its an ugly face at all BTW.

Ricardo, since you are primarily responsible for my critiquing instead of commenting, I thought I'd give you one.
You have so many wonderful shots, I didn't know where to start so, as this guy reminds me of what I see in the mirror in the morning- here goes.
Your notes are above and beyond the norm, I appreciate that. This photo is nothing short of great- up close and personal. A macro of a monster, but a likeable monster. All I can say is very well done. Excellent.
JJ

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3452 W: 144 N: 5895] (17468)
  • [2004-12-03 13:54]

This is lovely. What a dear old fellow. You have captured him so well, an excellent close-up of him.

  • Great 
  • osse Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1029 W: 0 N: 90] (7745)
  • [2006-12-14 17:03]

Hi ricardo
Good portrait shot of this aldabra. Good sharpnes, details, light, DOF and POV. Also good note and frame.
Well done mf.

osse

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