Re: Tortoise species in Australia

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Posted by Tom on November 13, 2000 at 17:27:23:

In Reply to: Tortoise species in Australia posted by Carol Pope on November 12, 2000 at 21:52:18:

As far as any feral non-native tortoises, running around, i didn't hear about any or see any while I was there (3 month field trip). Australia is extremely careful about letting any non-native animals species into the country. I'm sure that if any non native tortoise species were imported, they might do very well, but most likely with disastrous results to native ecosystems (sulcata tortoise comes to mind). Rabbits, foxes, and feral cats, pigs, and goats give them enough problems already.

A question that i have always wondered is why there are not any native tortoise species. While I was there, i don't recall seeing an tortoise fossils on display at the Australian Museum in Sydney. My guess is that they never reached Australia, or maybe tortoises were extirpated by aboriginals. It would be interesting to look at the gondwanaland connection. There are tortoises in S. america, africa, but not australia. Perhap Australia broke off before tortoises reached the land mass.

Anyways, there are plenty of aquatic turtles in australia, but few land species. Lizards and Snakes seem to dominate the terrestrial reptile niche in Australia, and these two groups of reptiles overshadow turtles in the land of Oz.
T. Arbour

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: As far as any feral non-native tortoises, running around, i didn't hear about any or see any while I was there (3 month field trip). Australia is extremely careful about letting any non-native animals species into the country. I'm sure that if any non native tortoise species were imported, they might do very well, but most likely with disastrous results to native ecosystems (sulcata tortoise comes to mind). Rabbits, foxes, and feral cats, pigs, and goats give them enough problems already. : A question that i have always wondered is why there are not any native tortoise species. While I was there, i don't recall seeing an tortoise fossils on display at the Australian Museum in Sydney. My guess is that they never reached Australia, or maybe tortoises were extirpated by aboriginals. It would be interesting to look at the gondwanaland connection. There are tortoises in S. america, africa, but not australia. Perhap Australia broke off before tortoises reached the land mass. : Anyways, there are plenty of aquatic turtles in australia, but few land species. Lizards and Snakes seem to dominate the terrestrial reptile niche in Australia, and these two groups of reptiles overshadow turtles in the land of Oz. : T. Arbour

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