The tortoises in Croatia are not pets but have free will!

[RichardS]

The first time we saw a tortoise in Croatia was about 5 years ago. It was wandering around in a small grassy area outside a bar in Skradin where we were having a beer. I just thought it was the pet of the bar owner out foraging, or whatever tortoises do.

Anyway, driving back to the boat from shopping in Trogir today, we spotted a tortoise crossing the road .... rather slowly, as tortoises are wont to do.

I stopped the car, put on the hazard lights and soon we had a queue of cars in both direction. Everyone seemed very happy to wait until the tortoise had completed his ashphalty trek in the hot sun.

Anyway, having just googled it, it appears that these are Dalmatian tortoises which are a sub-species particular to his stretch of the Adriatic coast.

The only time I have ever had to stop the buggy to wait for tortoises to cross the road was in Mustique where I believe that it is a criminal offence not to stop and wait. The Dalmatian tortoises need to get a better lawyer.

Richard

 

[rotrax]

The first time we saw a tortoise in Croatia was about 5 years ago. It was wandering around in a small grassy area outside a bar in Skradin where we were having a beer. I just thought it was the pet of the bar owner out foraging, or whatever tortoises do.

Anyway, driving back to the boat from shopping in Trogir today, we spotted a tortoise crossing the road .... rather slowly, as tortoises are wont to do.

I stopped the car, put on the hazard lights and soon we had a queue of cars in both direction. Everyone seemed very happy to wait until the tortoise had completed his ashphalty trek in the hot sun.

Anyway, having just googled it, it appears that these are Dalmatian tortoises which are a sub-species particular to his stretch of the Adriatic coast.

The only time I have ever had to stop the buggy to wait for tortoises to cross the road was in Mustique where I believe that it is a criminal offence not to stop and wait. The Dalmatian tortoises need to get a better lawyer.

Richard

Perhaps a job oppertunity for our resident legal forum member!

 

[Hydrozoan]

I have written before - to some merriment - about Mrs H’s particular liking for tortoises. She and of course all right-thinking folk will applaud the patience you exercised.

We have locally had toad tunnels, signs and a volunteer toad patrol for many years; I think we were amongst the first, but similar activity is now widespread - and you may have seen that we in the UK are to have a new, generic road sign intended to help protect small wildlife: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48660420.

 

[jordanbasset]

First time I saw tortoises in the wild was while walking in the hills in North Corfu, I also checked and apparently there are Hermann's tortoises. I was also surprised when I first saw one and thought it must have escaped from some where as it was in the middle of no no where. During the walk I went on to see half a dozen more, a lovely experience

 

[capnsensible]

'Where do you go to find a tortoise?'

'Not far from where you left it.'

 

[rotrax]

A true tortoise story. Kyalami circuit, South Africa, motorcycle meeting to decide the South African championship.

One rider, really on hot form on the day, was leading the fancied runners, Jim Redman and Paddy Driver.

He broke the lap record on several laps during the early part of the race, then came down big time on a right hand corner.

He was uninjured and after getting the marshalls out of his hair started thinking about his crash. It did not add up in his mind, the bike and brakes were all working good, he just could not understand why he fell.

He waited untill the race was over and walked up the track to his braking marker, a large brown rock on the left side of the track.

When he got there he easily saw why he fell.

It was a tortoise, doggedly walking down the track, towards the corner!

 

[Bellacruiser]

Yet to see a tortoise in my many trips to Croatia, however we did see a sea turtle off the coast of Vis on our last trip two weeks ago. Nearly fell overboard with surprise when it surfaced just off our stern, about 3.5ft diameter.

Went all the way to the Grenadines to swim with turtles at the Tobago Cays in March, only to flippin' see one in the Adriatic anyway

 

[vyv_cox]

A few years ago a tortoise crossed the road in front of us as we were driving from Igoumenitsa to Preveza. It was positively galloping, way faster than the relaxed pace we are accustomed to in UK pet versions.

 

[Stemar]

The quick and the dead on Greek roads?