Mediterranean Tortoises

Tortoises are and will always be wild animals, even if people have been propagating them in captivity for generations. In contrast to domestic pets, tortoises are entirely unable to adapt to any lifestyle that we may try to force on them. Whoever takes tortoises in his or her care should be aware of this fact and offer them conditions that will be as close as possible to the situation in nature as this is the only way to fulfil their biological needs. This will of course always be a compromise, but to enable you to find this compromise to your and, in particular, to your tortoises’ benefit I here provide you, and all lovers of nature who may be interested, with a comprehensive treatise that conveys intimate insights into the original world of all tortoises from the Mediterranean region of Europe.

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This beautifully photographed and extensively researched book is a must-read for every tortoise enthusiast. Keeping wild animals according to their biological needs must be modelled on nature. The conditions in which tortoise populations thrive only truly exist in original habitats, with their microclimates marked by islands of warmth and natural vegetation unaltered by man. It is only here that the little-adaptable tortoises can continue their natural ways of life and develop population dynamics to the full extent imprinted on them during their 230 million years of evolutionary history. This book with its 37 chapters provides unique insights into the natural habitats and ecology of European tortoises. Only if a keeper knows how tortoises live in the wild can these animals be cared for in a manner that comes close to their natural situation. I am certain that you will find many details you were not previously aware of – and that these will help you to better understand the needs of the tortoises in your care and to view them from a new perspective.

This comprehensive book is structured into the following chapters: Preface - Introduction - General considerations - The Species of Tortoises - Distribution - Secondary Habitats - Maquis - Garrigue - Diet - Islands of Warmth - Microclimate - Home Ranges - Roaming Ranges - Retreats - Population Densities - Spring - Male to Male Combat - Mating Ritual - Hybrids - Oviposition - First Predators - Summer - Development of the Eggs - Fluid Requirements - Autumn - Hatching - Post-Hatching - Predators - Dispersal of Juveniles - Winter - A Day in the Life of a Tortoise - Light, Warmth and UV Radiation - Habitat Climate Illustrated - Fire - Regeneration - Humped Growth - Relocating and Releasing - The Tick Phenomenon - Epilogue.