The back of the tortoise.
The Greek Tortoise is also called
the Spur-Thigh Tortoise and it's Latin name is Testudo graeca. It is common in
Southern Spain, Northern Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East area.
Adults
tend to be from six to seven inches long and the females are larger than males.
The hatchlings are usually one and a half inches to two inches. The lifespan is
about fifty years.
Greek Tortoises have varying colors. The coloring can range from an olive color with
dark spots in the middle to a "golden" which is more of a yellow. The places
where the tortoises usually are found are exceptionally hot in the summer and
differences in the coloration help it to not overheat. In the farthest south
are a bright yellow, and on high altitudes where temperature are lower, darker
colors are found to absorb heat better.
These
tortoises prefer very dry climates. Juveniles are brighter than adults. Males'
plastron which is at the bottom of the shell is concave compared to the females'.
The females' tail is also much shorter than the males'.
These creatures constantly create overnight "scrapes" which are nests that they make beneath sharp oak shrubs. These scrapes are used by a number of tortoises. Tortoise trails can be seen coming out of the scrapes.
Tortoise daytime activity begins by basking on rocks with legs and head entirely extended. After basking they graze and then retire to the closet scrape.
Eggs of this tortoise are spherical in shape and six to eight are usually laid. They are laid from May to June.
By November adults and hatchlings are ready to enter hibernation. They dig under large rocks or some shrubs that they use for overnight scrapes.
Greece is one of the key places of the Mediterranean and has a high variety of tortoises. All three European species are present and are listed as rare of vulnerable. Seventy-nine species are present with one third of the population under severe or immediate threat and one-third under long term threat.
Habitat destruction by agriculture including associated fires was the major threat, and also development and building.
The lasting future of tortoises in Greece appears grave outside of protected areas. Only few populations will live for one hundred years or longer.
Despite it's failing numbers, while on Mt. Ithomi, we discovered a Greek tortoise. It had round black scales and it was large, so we guessed it was pretty old. The claws looked sharp and the shell on the back raised up in bumps. It had cream colored splotches all over it's shell. It walked slowly and I was surprised because it wasn't very shy. It was very interesting to watch it in it's natural habitat. These tortoises are amazing creatures because of the way they've survived and adapted to their surroundings.
