Desert Tortoise Crazy for Broccoli
by Linda Brody
Title
Desert Tortoise Crazy for Broccoli
Artist
Linda Brody
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Desert Tortoise Crazy for Broccoli.
This is Porsche. He is a California Desert Tortoise (Gopherus Agassizii), approximately 38 years old, and 18 pounds. He was hatched in captivity by a friend who is a wildlife biologist. We have had him since he was a hatchlng. He was the largest and most aggressive of the 10 or so baby tortoises. He loves to be hand feed. He east brocolli, various lettuces, green beans, bean sprouts, corn, banana, hybicus, dandelion, and sometimes rose petals. He lives in a penned off area complete with a burrow and two semi-buried dog houses, He lives wih a smaller female we call Casey.
Did you know that a few degrees difference in temperature of the eggs in incubation can product a batch of male, or a batch of female tortoises?
The desert tortoises live approximately 50 to 80 years; they grow slowly and generally have low reproductive rates. They spend most of time in burrows, rock shelters, and pallets to regulate body temperature and reduce water loss. They are most active after seasonal rains and are inactive during most of the year. This inactivity helps reducing water loss during hot periods, whereas winter hibernation facilitates survival during freezing temperatures and low food availability. Desert tortoises can tolerate water, salt, and energy imbalances on a daily basis, which increases their lifespan.
This photograph has been featured in the following Groups:
The Road to Self Promotion
Nikon Full Frame Cameras
Lady Photographers and Artists
Southern California Artists Collective
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Uploaded
October 18th, 2023
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