A giant Galapagos male turtle named Hermes has recently arrived at Bioparc Fuengirola as its newest resident.
There are 15 different subspecies of giant turtles, one of which is the Chelonoidis niger – the same species as Hermes – now extinct in the wild.
Hermes was transferred from Barcelona Zoo and will be living with two 26-year-old female turtles.
In turtle years, they are all still young, with Hermes being just 20 years old and weighing over 150 kilos.
Giant turtles can live well beyond 100 years and can weigh up to 400 kilos.
They are entirely vegetarian and very easy to handle and train, thanks to their caregivers who ensure they are well taken care of, with vets performing all necessary check-ups like blood tests and ultrasounds.
A bond of trust is established between the turtles and their caregivers through various exercises, facilitating successful medical examinations.
Since Hermes' arrival, the team has been ensuring he adapts well to his new environment and monitoring his interactions with his female companions.
Milagros Robledo, the head of Herpetology at Bioparc, mentioned, "We are still in the process of adaptation and observing his behavior with the females."
"On the first day, he was separated, but afterwards, it went well. Like all male turtles, he always tries to copulate!"
Since 2013, Bioparc Fuengirola has been involved in turtle conservation projects with the goal of reintroducing the Chelonoidis niger species back into their natural habitat.
