Saturday, March 6, 2010

Tortoises at the Karoo National Park

Above: another tortoise making for the shade

One of the first things you'll read about the Karoo National Park is that is that it has the highest concentration of tortoises in the world. Five species.

One of the first things we noticed when we drove into the campground at the Karoo National Park was the huge tortoises munching on the short green grass of the first few stands. They were unafraid and quite mobile, and we watched them for a while, noticing that one slightly smaller one had had its shell crushed at the top by what must have been a car.

We had pulled into an empty stand on our right, wide and green but shadeless, and in the intense heat Vince soon went to explore for a more shady site. Tents become saunas if left in the sun.

Because the campground was very full with more people arriving in the late afternoon he stayed at the new spot while I got back into the car to drive our household over. Before getting in, though, I stretched flat on the ground and looked quickly under the car, in case a tortoise had moved in under it. It seemed clear.

I got in, pulled forward slowly, turned the wheel and felt, then heard, a sickening crunch. I swore. I knew at once what it was. In a split second of panic I was not sure what to do. I pulled a little more forward, but the tortoise was still there. I had been afraid to back up over it again, but I had to, to get off. Our new neighbour across the road was waving and yelling. I swore more. I cleared the tortoise with the huge wheels of the Landcruiser and leapt out.

There it was with shell cracked and bleeding deep red, thick blood. It was the same animal whose shell had been cracked before, but this was much worse. Vince moved the car for me, as we were still over the poor thing, and I was terrified of hurting it more. Then I drove to the reception as fast as I could to get a ranger. Even now I'm crying.

At reception I told them what I'd done and they said someone would be dispatched at once.

Back at the camp I had little hope. Apart from the crushed upper part of the shell, the apron of the shell was split all the way to above the back right foot and you could see the naked hurt body inside. The neighbour's girlfriend was in their tent, crying. When I waved hello to her a day later she ignored me. I kept saying sorry. Nicky arrived and loaded the tortoise up, saying he would take him to the head ranger, Johan de Klerk. They often crept under cars, he said. I kept repeating that I'd looked underneath and not seen him. He must have been right next to the front wheel, in the shadow, so that my turning back wheel found him.

So. I squashed a very big, possibly very old tortoise. It was horrible.

Later the 'honorary rangers' that look after the campsite drove around to check on the watering of some grass, and I re-confessed. They had not been told and oddly, did not seem overly concerned, and said that that particular tortoise always headed straight for the shade of cars. They said it happens all the time. At reception the next day the same girl had no idea what had become of the tortoise.

?

So. To the parks staff:

PLEASE post signs in the campsite. There are signs warning about not feeding baboons, but no signs warning about the tortoises under cars. I know it seems obvious, and I know it's my fault, but there are so many, and they move faster than we think. It's the proverbial matter of time before another one is hurt or killed.

The next evening, walking in the bush near the site at sunset, I found these two. She was remarkably uninvolved. He hissed at me.

At least they are making more.

13 comments:

  1. I've been involved in a similar incident with a smallish one crossing the road. They look a lot like stones. Lower half of the shell crushed, front feet still waggling a bit, tortoise looking confused. It doesn't make for good day.

    ReplyDelete
  2. And having last year ran over a cat, crushing her to death, I know the tears and the sick feeling. It feels horrible. Sorry.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Like Sigrid, I know the feeling. I'm so sorry!

    J and I recently watched a nature show called "The Loneliest Animals" which started with "George" the Pinta Island tortoise from the Galapagos Islands - the very last of his kind on the planet.

    ReplyDelete
  4. So sorry for your experience. Devastating. So many people would have driven off as quickly as possible and tried to hide. Good for you for stepping up and taking responsibility and for caring.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Seems like those two might have had a romantic dinner as well.

    So sorry about your accident with the lovely tortoise. That is a real shame. I hope she did not suffer too much. It was not your fault as you tried to do your best both before and after the accident.

    I remember when my dear daughter hit a squrril one day driving to the Rocky Mountain National Park. She was just devastated.

    Australia is very good about posting signs just about in every parking lot to look under the vehicle for birds, ducks, and penguins.....depending where in that country you are.

    I am so sorry. Please don't let this incident define your wonderful "home" visit.

    ReplyDelete
  6. So this is the very sad story...
    I feel for you, Marie.
    I hope the telling was cathartic.

    ReplyDelete
  7. When I ran over a groundhog that DASHED in front of my car I pulled over, called Michael, and cried so hard he thought I was hurt. Which I was, only not physically. So sorry for your sadness. I hope the trip improved along the way.

    ReplyDelete
  8. So sorry for your sad experience with the tortoise, Marie. I can imagine how badly you must have felt.

    But, as you say, they are making more. I found out, many years ago, that the Galapagos variety make a kind of roaring sound while mating ... my daughter, who was three years old at the time, was fascinated by that display at the Honolulu Zoo!

    Your pictures and travelog continue to delight and amaze ...

    Keli'i

    ReplyDelete
  9. awwww...poor you. you didn't mean it. i'm sure it was really sad. poor marie. maybe it was that tortoise's time. awww.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh dear. How terrible. Poor tortoise and poor you.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh no that is terribly sad. Somehow it's worse because you tried so hard to keep it from happening. Poor old tortoise. I once had a cottontail rabbit leap from the side of the road right into the side of my car...poor little animal didn't have a chance. Glad to see the tortoises procreating, though...

    ReplyDelete
  12. don't worry the tortoise is still alive and quite alright... we recently went to the Karoo national park and found him he was around the size of a seat so he was medium but he still has his battle scars with a big dent that looks like he shell was knocked inwards

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Really! That is very good and unexpected news. I wonder if it is the same one...thank you!

      Delete

Comments on posts older than 48 hours are moderated (for spam control) . Yours will be seen! Unless you are a troll. Serial trollers are banned.