Last Known Female Yangtze Soft-Shell Turtle Set to Mate

[depakid]

Scientists are hoping that Spring fever is still in the air for the 80-year-old turtle and her 100-year-old male companion, who together make up the last two captive specimens on the planet. The geriatric couple was united last year in an attempt to breed the pair, but none of the fertilized eggs were able to hatch, most likely due to a calcium deficiency in her diet.
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The mating is set to occur at the Suzhou Zoo in China, where the female was moved to last year from the Changsha Zoo after the discovery that she was the last living female of her kind. Remarkably, she had gone without notice there for over a half century before being “rediscovered”. The pairing did not come without significant danger to her, not only because of the 600 miles she had to be transported, but because the male she was to breed with had already killed a previous mate.

Such aggression is not uncommon for the species, and the risk was accentuated since it was unclear how long it had been since either individual had bred– or in her case, even seen– another member of the same species. Though luckily, the two lovesick turtles were immediately lovestruck, and the pairing was a success.

More: http://ecoworldly.com/2009/04/22/last-known-female-yangtze-soft-shell-turtle-set-to-mate/

[pnorman]

1. "the two lovesick turtles were immediately lovestruck, and the pairing was a success."

Inexplicably, I'm suffused with a warm glow of satisfaction, perhaps even happiness, after reading this! GO, you young lovers, GO!

pnorman

[comtec]

3. Well for turtles they ARE young

not hatchiings, but definitely not yet at mid-life.

[liberalla]

2. ahhhh... it's Spring and love is in the air.

:loveya:

All good wishes to the couple, and I hope her diet has been supplemented with calcium!