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Category : animals

Griffon Vulture, Gyps fulvus

Griffon Vultures are particularly remarkable for their exceptional gliding skills: they are truly equipped for flight, although they hardly use their wings. They make heavy use of rising thermal currents which form as the sun heats the ground. They also benefit from all other aerological conditions. The Griffon Vulture can soar during hours in altitudes between 1.800 and 3.500m above sea level. On days with excellent weather conditions, the Griffon can get as high as 6.000m above sea level. Depending […]

Lilac-crowned Amazon, Amazona finschi

This small parrot’s length ranges from 30 to 33 cm. The species is endemic to the northeast of Mexico, especially the areas of Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí and the northern regions of the states of Veracruz and Hidalgo. Main characteristics Males: The primary colour of the Lilac-crowned is green. His body is accented in many colours. Greenish yellow feathers can be seen decorating the front of his crown, abdomen, ear coverlets, chest, and cheeks. His lores, forehead, and […]

Red-footed Tortoise, Chelonoidis carbonaria

The Red-footed Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria) is a tortoise native to the tropical forests of South America (Guyana, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay and some of the Caribbean islands).
The species has a dark carapace with yellow blurs in the middle of the scutes and on the border of the carapace. Although there might be many variations in colour, all Red-footed Tortoises have red or orange scales visible on their limbs, as well as their heads and tails. In some individuals, the carapace becomes indented on both sides giving them the illusion of having an hourglass waist. The males are usually slightly bigger than the females, with approximately 30,5cm in males and 29cm in females. They are sexually mature at a smaller size than this. Male Red-foots have a concave plastron, and their carapace is flatter than the females’ and the "hourglass" figure is much more developed in males than in females. Furthermore, the males tail is larger and wider than the females. No subspecies has been described so far, but due to the fact that the species’ range of distribution is wide, there is many different variants in size and colour.

African Spurred Tortoise, Centrochelys sulcata

The African Spurred Tortoise’s name refers to the furrows on the tortoise's scales on the front legs. It is the third largest species of tortoise in the world and the largest species of mainland tortoise (the two largest turtle species live on islands). It belongs to the family Testudinidae (mainland tortoises).
The range of distribution and behaviour of the African Spurred Tortoise is similar to the Leopard Tortoises’ (Geochelone pardalis). Both species are easy to differentiate, as the latter is smaller and has a stockier body. Furthermore, its carapace is more bulged and the colour pattern different.