Lumbering red footed
Slow but steady in Tortola
Benjamin Boone
The Red Footed Tortoise is found in America,Venezuela, Brazil and some Caribbean islands, including Tortola in the British Virgins. You could be fortunate to see the red footed tortoise out and about for the day.
It doesn't do much but lumber along, scrounging for food, which may consist of fallen fruits, mushrooms and grass.
Red foots tortoises are elusive, often living in dense forests.
Adult males are larger than females who are fickleabout their suitors.
Every movement of the male red footed turtle must be precise to accomplish mating.
First, the male stands beside the female and violently jerks its head.
If the female is still there, he sniffs her tail, clucks like a hen and the mating begins.
Attempts have been made to reproduce this mating riitual.
Fake tortoise heads were used trying to lure the female into mating. So far none of the female turtles have fallen for this ploy.
When mating is successful the female tortoise lays five to 15 eggs between July and September, which require a 120 day incubation.
Don't disturb turtle eggs if you come across them.
A turtle's life is precarous enough. In the wild only one or two out of every thousand make it to to adult hood.
Benjamin Boone writes about nature and island folklore.
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