This is Peabody, a male Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassisii) that lives at Animal Ark, here in Reno. He's about 52 years old and was brought to the Ark by a fireman in the late 80's. He's believed to have been some one's pet..
The Desert Tortoise is the Nevada State Reptile. They are also an endangered species and protected by Nevada state law.
They are found mainly in the southern Nevada desert, however their habitat is threatened by human population growth and environmental factors.
They are also found across much of the southwestern area of the US. Fossil records have shown that they have lived there for at least the last 10 - 12000 years.
An interesting fact about the desert tortoise, is that it spends about 95 % of it very long life (80 - 100 years) underground in burrows. This helps it survive the hot summers, where ground temperatures can exceed 140 deg F, and the cold, harsh winters.
Have a great weekend all !!
The school year ended, on Friday, so we are now on break for the next 5 weeks. YAAAAAYYYY !!!
Now go to CAMERA CRITTERS and join in the fun.
34 comments:
wow, that's quite a long lifespan.
- Wacky Issues co-writer
wow, they're cute, I missed it. Glad to be here again.
Hello, glad to visit here, would you mind visiting mine too. I love your shots. It's perfect.
Here's my link:
http://bacolodandbeyond.blogspot.com/2009/06/camera-critters-2.html
Thanks for the lesson on the tortoise... 52 years old! Wow!
He doesn't look a day over 40 :)
I played too :)
What a nice looking tortoise! Beautiful age. Enjoy your weekend and school break.
Wow, that little fellow is just as old as I am :))))
I guess he will live longer than I will!
Thank you for the interesting information! Have a pleasant break!
Great post!
Loved reading the info on it.
He's a good lookin lil guy!
Karen: Cool captures of the tortois.
Great choice for a critter. I'd like to have one as a pet. I could talk to it and if it didn't want to listen, well it could well you know....!
grewat title sandy
52 years old - amazing!
The living 95% of life underground isn't so great however.
A great shot and info.
Have a great weekend!
He seems like a very serious character. ;o)
hes sweet and wow so old. i would hold him all day to save his legs lol
Peabody is aging well!
TOrtoises are somehow so moving to look at, they seem so vulnerable despite the hard shell! That one is a beauty.
Great shots, looks great for that age.
Very nice photos & info. It's really hot here in Florida, maybe I should start digging a burrow.
oh, what a precious tortoise. Is he trying to find a home? probaly he sense that the owner of this place is friendly and would adapt him. :) Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
He is so cute! I've always loved turtles! Have a great weekend :-)
He is lovely, they are fascinating animals.
Wow, I had no idea they could live that long. How clever of them to live underground to escape the desert heat!
What great photos. Spending 95% of a life underground sounds a bit depressing!
It's nice to meet another Kiwi. :)
Hello sweet Karen!
So nice to know that you have a time now for vacation! I hope you will enjoy the summer days a lot!
Fabulous post and lovely pictures!My mommy love all kind of turtles and this one is really adorable!Thanks for sharing!
purrs and love
your friend
Luna
Great photos of the desert turtleand so interesting.
He looks like a wise old man. :)
Wow! 52 years old and what a great capture.
That is a big turtoise There must be big tunnels underground than.
Interesting post
Very interesting post. He sure lives long.
My brother lives in Vegas, and has for 40 years; I remember that a neighbor of his a very long time ago had a desert tortoise in his back yard. It was so tame,just like a pet. Thanks for bringing an old memory back to me!
Peabody brings back memories. Decades ago we shared our yard with TWO tortoises ... Plato and Aristotle. Each had a unique personality ... both came to us accidentally and each was 'registered' as an endangered critter and provided for in our will. When we moved to the beach we donated both to a local tortoise society because we had no room for them in our back yard any longer ... that was 30 years ago and I still miss them occasionally.
Hugs and blessings,
I love turtles! And I love that they live so long!!
My Critters
Great photos of the desert tortoise. I had no idea they lived so long or spent so much time underground.
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