A giant surprise for winner of tortoise competition at Bristol Zoo Gardens
A lucky Totterdown woman has won a date with ‘Biggie’, Bristol Zoo Gardens’ giant tortoise, after correctly guessing his weight as part of the European ‘Shellshock’ conservation campaign to highlight the threats to turtles, tortoises and terrapins. Mary Yip of Totterdown, Bristol, will join Tim Skelton, Head of Reptiles to meet and feed Biggie in his paddock at Bristol Zoo on Thursday 7 July 2005 at 3.00pm.
Biggie, the much loved male Indian Ocean giant tortoise, has been at the Zoo since 1975 and is estimated to be between 50 – 100 years old. As part of his regular health checks, Biggie was weighed in June on veterinary scales and his exact weight was recorded as 193 kilograms – which is about the same weight as a male gorilla!
Biggie joins another A-list celebrity tortoise - Aardman’s Oscar - to support the Shellshock campaign. The Zoo particularly appreciates Aardman and Oscar working with the European zoo community to raise the profile of the serious threats that all turtles and tortoises and terrapins are now facing. Millions of turtles are being harvested and traded for food and used in traditional medicines. This unsustainable trade and loss of habitat has had a devastating impact on the species. The European Association for Zoos and Aquaria Zoos and Aquaria, of which Bristol Zoo Gardens is a member, are now channelling their efforts to prevent the population from suffering further loss of species.
Tim Skelton, Head of Reptiles said: ‘The threats to many turtles and tortoises is serious, but at Bristol Zoo we are making finding out about Shellshock serious fun. We are running fun-filled Shellshock activities all around the Zoo between 27 July - 2 Sept. You can find out more about the many species of tortlepins (Bristol Zoo’s term for tortoises, turtles and terrapins!) in the Reptile House. Biggie and his mates will be the focus of a new giant tortoise talk. The Activity Centre will be offering ninja turtle face-painting and there is a tortlepin trail with prize. At the Conservation Education Centre make a tortlepin sock puppet to take home or relax on our turtle ‘beach’ and find out more about what you can do to help us save these wonderful animals’.
