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Desert Tortoise pictures

21 years ago

Tried to hike up into Paiute wilderness area for an overnighter-weekender. Couldn't get my gear and me across the raging river, though. Tried 4 times. The recent 80 degree weather brought huge snow melt from the high country down into what is usually a gentle little river to cross. Dejected,and covered in river muck, I went back into town and stopped at Starbucks to sit and plan something else. (I sat outside)...

I decided to hike over to a place I hadn't been. a 63,000

acre preserve exists out here in the high chaparral country and high desert for the tortoise.

It's called the Red Cliffs Desert Preserve.

Long 9 mile hike. Great to be out there and not see another person. Here are a few pictures o' the turtles....

Cheers! jerry

http://usera.imagecave.com/mochajo/

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Comments (5)

jen_
21 years ago
Very nice photos as always! I know I've told you before but you really have a very good artistic eye for composition! You really could have a second career or a serious side thing going as a nature photographer!

One question though, how big are those turtles? Are they those really huge ones that you see in the zoos?
jennmonkey
21 years ago
Nice pics. Those turtles are awesome! Thanks for sharing.
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rustipup
Original Author
21 years ago
Thanks! Gawrsh...
These tortoises are usually about up to 14 inches long
and 8 inches tall. Not as big as the huge ones in the zoos. Sad story. When I was a little kid, I remember going on a field trip to the zoo and we took turns riding the tortoise. I remember being lifted up on its back and it walked around with little school kids on its back.
I wonder how many tons of school kids that tortoise had to give a ride to?

I like tortoises. Next to monkeys...eeee-eee-oook-aaaa-ook
which are my favorite animal. Penguins are pretty cool, too.

Ok, what's your favorite creatures?
jen_
21 years ago
Loons but I like almost all animals!
jennmonkey
21 years ago
obviously I love monkeys too! so does my BF. Kinda pathetic, but we're adults with a whole collection of stuffed monkeys. LOL I keep saying if we ever have kids, they are going to have to have a jungle-room. What else are we gonna do with all those monkeys?

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