TY - JOUR
T1 - Aggregated drinking behavior of radiated tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) in arid southwestern Madagascar
AU - Doody, Jeremiah Sean
AU - Castellano, Christina
AU - Rakotondrainy, Riana
AU - Ronto, William
AU - Rakotondriamanga, Tantelinirina
AU - Duchene, Julio
AU - Randria, Zigzag
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - 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).
AB - 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).
UR - http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.2744/CCB-0850.1
U2 - 10.2744/CCB-0850.1
DO - 10.2744/CCB-0850.1
M3 - Article
SN - 1071-8443
VL - 10
SP - 145
EP - 146
JO - Chelonian Conservation and Biology
JF - Chelonian Conservation and Biology
IS - 1
ER -