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-   -   Wild moroccan tortoises (http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=74979)

jimothy 21-07-2019 03:32 PM

Wild moroccan tortoises
 
Photos/videos in this link:
https://imgur.com/gallery/7ipFZmX
Scroll down there are 18 pictures and videos!

So we just got back from Morocco - our two torts have been well looked after by my Mum.

While away we hired a car and drove through the desert around Marrakech (highly recommended!) and Atlas mountains and came across a couple of quite small spur thighed tortoises on the road - from what I read the North African T. graeca marrokensis are usually less than 20cm when fully grown.

The first was in a remote area and very dusty - I loved the way the black eyes stand out from the almost white head. We just stopped and let him make his own way off the road. The second was on a main road near Essouiara and had to stop the traffic to put him across to the side he was trying to cross to!

Yvonne G 21-07-2019 04:27 PM

You're so lucky to have been able to take this trip. Thanks for sharing!

emma_mcraf 21-07-2019 04:34 PM

Fantastic photos and videos! They’re so well camouflaged for such a dusty habitat.
As Yvonne says, thanks for sharing. :-)

sandy 21-07-2019 06:15 PM

Always great to see tortoises in the wild. I have seen a few in France:0)

jimothy 21-07-2019 08:31 PM

I think the locals must have thought it a bit odd to stop traffic to help a tortoise cross the road... it would be like seeing a rabbit on the road in the UK.

I spoke to the owner of the B&B we stayed at and apparently they are very common - so I guess the CITES and other legal protections do a good job.

I didn't see any tortoises or tortoise shell items for sale even in the local Berber markets which was good to see.

https://i.imgur.com/mrZPOQB.jpg

burnt toast 21-07-2019 11:38 PM

Thank you for helping them & thanks for sharing your pictures. They are, so well camouflaged (when not on the road!)

JerryMaffz 22-07-2019 01:18 PM

Great photos. Especially the habitat. I've seen three species of tortoise in the wild (Indian Stars, Margi's and T.g.Ibera) and all three were in similar habitat. Still makes me smile when people say it's wrong to put gravel and sand in an enclosure.

Suze65 26-07-2019 09:21 PM

Wow amazing pics, how lucky are you

CherryBrandy 29-07-2019 01:11 PM

crikey , very nice, CB


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