DRIVING OVER TORTOISES.


   After all the recent rains, it has been reported that the Parque Comercial
   was awash with tortoises.

   We also have them here in the Almanzora valley. They have been spotted
   on the hillsides, along the river  bed, down in the fields and in gardens.
   I have found several empty shells showing signs of injuries due to hoeing
   and more recently they have been found crushed by lorry's tearing up the
   Almanzora river bed.

   If found alive it is essential never to remove them from their habitat. They
   are a protected species. They have a daily rountine that is ingrained to
   travel the same path, removing leads to disorientation. Thay are active in
   the mornings and evenings, spending the hottest hours buried in the ground
   or under a stone. Tortoises are mainly vegetarian but will feed on carrion.
   They can eat the dung of others and chalk, the latter nescessary for healthy
   hard shells.

   Far from being slow the tortoise can really move. l was once  sitting in a friends
   garden, several were rampaging around the garden, the males were persuing
   a lone female at a terrific pace. They were throwing  themselves at her,
   nipping her legs and generally molesting her to try to slow her down. Then
   with much clanking of shells they all tried to pile on top. I feared for my feet.  
   Later a male was found splayed out on the lawn, fearing him dead picked him
   up and there hanging pinkly his exhausted apparatus! The females lay up to a
   dozen round white hard shelled eggs, which she buries leaving the sun to incubate
   them.

   There are three types of tortoises in Europe. Hermanns tortoise, found mainly
   in Italy and southern Europe. The similar spur-thighed tortoise found in the
   eastern Balkans and Spain. These are the ones now banned from being sold
   in pet shops. Lastly the marginated tortoises found only in Greece and
   Sardinia. These populations were allegedly a result of them being given as
   gifts to ones fiancee!