Wild Collected Elegans

tortadise

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These are neat to have at the facility. Geochelone elegans is and has been for quite over a decade illegal for export out of India. However some people as seen in many articles try and smuggle them out. This pair came from a confiscation into the United States 3 years ago. It's pretty cool seeing a species that's so successfully captive bred that you lose the site of what they really look like being straight from the wild. It's not cool seeing and hearing about smugglers though. But none the less these are nice specimens and in good care now. Yes indeed this species does naturally have pyramiding but not nearly represented like those in captivity.

Age is unknown.
image.jpg
 

Neal

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Very nice Kelly!

How big is the female?
 

tortadise

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Very nice Kelly!

How big is the female?
Uhhhhhhh I dunno to be precise off my head. She's about 9" definitely mature specimens that for sure. Previous zoo that had her got 2 eggs but they were laid in water. Been kept outside so possible they missed some nests.
 

Neal

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How is their behavior as compared to CB adults? (shyer, less active, eat more, eat less, etc...)
 

tortadise

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How is their behavior as compared to CB adults? (shyer, less active, eat more, eat less, etc...)
They are incredibly shy compared to captives. All my Indian and Sri Lankans are F2-F4 animals and will run up to you like a puppy seeking food or attention. These are active but lifeless if your standing near the pen. They move around a lot. Each hour they will be in a different spot. So for sure they're behavior is pretty representative of being wild collected. These guys I'm going to holdback all offspring if/when that occurs just because of the known lineages and origins. You never know when the end of the clock for a wild collected animal could be up.
 

tortadise

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Oh I didn't touch upon food, they do eat incredible amounts. But they won't rampage the pile of greens, weeds, cactus. They kinda go over nibble a bunch then hide then return. Poverty inconsistent to captives. Captives eat until it's gone(when kept inside) in the experiences here. When outside they obviously graze. But unfortunately the elegans outdoor pen is in a heavily shaded area with sporadic sunlight filtering through so grass doesn't grow there. But yeah definitely different behaviorism.
 

Neal

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One more question (I'm completely fascinated in case you couldn't tell), any idea on their exact origin they were taken from? I assume since they are confiscated specimens you probably don't know, but I figured I'd ask.
 

tortadise

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One more question (I'm completely fascinated in case you couldn't tell), any idea on their exact origin they were taken from? I assume since they are confiscated specimens you probably don't know, but I figured I'd ask.
I do not. I really wish I did. From research in the past that I've done, the larger of Indian elegans the northwestern locale have a very dark pigmented skin. These guys have a typical yellow blocked and black speckled skin. So that kinda rules that out. But who knows hoe credible that research and locale classification is. I really wish I knew just like you do too, where they were collected from. Somewhere in the giant nation of India. Lol
 

Neal

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The male is a really good size. The largest one I have is 6 1/4".

The wear on their plastrons looks a lot like a pair I have that are around 20 - 25 years old. Interesting abrasive marks on the male. It looks like he might have spent a lot of time hiding in some thick underbrush with his back end hanging out...just guessing of course.
 

tortadise

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The male is a really good size. The largest one I have is 6 1/4".

The wear on their plastrons looks a lot like a pair I have that are around 20 - 25 years old. Interesting abrasive marks on the male. It looks like he might have spent a lot of time hiding in some thick underbrush with his back end hanging out...just guessing of course.
He is a good size male for sure, I too noticed when first observed the wear. Both on the male/female on the outside plastron near the marginal scutes. Wonder if those are from the rocky substrate over there.
 

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Hi Kelly, I just spent two weeks with Anslem De Silva in Sri Lanka , collecting DNA and studying the impact on the populations due to human intereactions. We collected over 45 wild specimens . and some were stunning!! we even found one swimming across a pond , that I have never seen before!!! The large female that Anslem is holding is one we found inland outside a game preserve. My next trip will be in a few months to look for the really Large Sri Lankan stars. image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg
 

mike taylor

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Awesome thread you got going Kelly . Any plans of returning a few off spring back to the wilds of India ? How is the sulcata breeding going with your buddy Thomas?
 

tortadise

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Hi Kelly, I just spent two weeks with Anslem De Silva in Sri Lanka , collecting DNA and studying the impact on the populations due to human intereactions. We collected over 45 wild specimens . and some were stunning!! we even found one swimming across a pond , that I have never seen before!!! The large female that Anslem is holding is one we found inland outside a game preserve. My next trip will be in a few months to look for the really Large Sri Lankan stars. View attachment 148244View attachment 148245View attachment 148246View attachment 148247View attachment 148248
Very awesome. I'd love to know what comes of it. Are yall doing and phylogenetic comparison with the mainland elegant at all? I know the ones from western mainland tend to have a different skin color and size as well than that of central mainland and Sri lankan.
 

tortadise

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Awesome thread you got going Kelly . Any plans of returning a few off spring back to the wilds of India ? How is the sulcata breeding going with your buddy Thomas?
I sure hope so. The problem is these were not known exactly where they were collected from in India. So lots of testing to locale populations would have to be done for wild reintroduction. But in sure something could be done indeed about sending some over.
 

kingsley

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We are just concentrating on the Srl Lankans, I am concerned about the future of the speces , as we have reports of consumption, and also modernized Agricultural implinentation thats causing serious loss . The coastral areas are heavily utilized for Coconut Plantations , and the modern Brush Movers are responsible for major losses of adults. In one instance a mere clearing of one acre , distroyed 7 adults.
back on the subject of diversity, we are definetely seeing size variations and color variations in different areas just in Sri Lanka. I will post more information as we progress.
My colony in Arizona produced 30 offspring this year, with a hatch ratio of 85%
 

mike taylor

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I sure hope so. The problem is these were not known exactly where they were collected from in India. So lots of testing to locale populations would have to be done for wild reintroduction. But in sure something could be done indeed about sending some over.
I hope you can get it done brother.
 

tortadise

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We are just concentrating on the Srl Lankans, I am concerned about the future of the speces , as we have reports of consumption, and also modernized Agricultural implinentation thats causing serious loss . The coastral areas are heavily utilized for Coconut Plantations , and the modern Brush Movers are responsible for major losses of adults. In one instance a mere clearing of one acre , distroyed 7 adults.
back on the subject of diversity, we are definetely seeing size variations and color variations in different areas just in Sri Lanka. I will post more information as we progress.
My colony in Arizona produced 30 offspring this year, with a hatch ratio of 85%
That's fantastic about your adults. Very sad about the wild situations. Seems almost every species of chelonian is in plight such as described. Do you know of any in-situ programs over there working against the plight? It's very difficult stopping the development for sure, and consumption.
 

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