USF St. Petersburg campus Faculty Publications
Aggregated Drinking Behavior of Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) in Arid Southwestern Madagascar
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2011
ISSN
1071-8443
Abstract
While conducting a monitoring program in arid southwestern Madagascar we observed a large aggregation of ca. 100 radiated tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) along ca. 80 m of dry creek bottom at the onset of the wet season. Tortoises had apparently anticipated rainfall and as precipitation ensued, immediately began drinking from small depressions in the bedrock. We discuss potential mechanisms and consequences of the behavior and compare it with similar observations in desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii).
Language
en_US
Publisher
CHELONIAN RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Recommended Citation
"Aggregated Drinking Behavior of Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) in Arid Southwestern Madagascar," 10(1) J. Sean Doody, Christina M. Castellano, Riana Rakotondrainy, William M. Ronto, Tantelinirina M. Rakotondriamanga, Julio J. Duchene, Zigzag Randria Chelonian Conservation and Biology (1 July 2011)
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Comments
Citation only. Full-text article is available through licensed access provided by the publisher. Members of the USF System may access the full-text of the article through the authenticated link provided.