HERPETOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Vol. 8, pp. 79-84 (1998)
BODY TEMPERATURES OF CAPTIVE TORTOISES AT HIGH ALTITUDE IN
ZIMBABWE, WITH COMMENTS ON THE USE OF "LIVING MODELS"
ADRIAN HAILEY* AND JOHN P. LOVERIDGE**
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
* Present address: 52 Mascotts Close, London NW2 6NS, UK
** Author for reprints
It is difficult to devise physical models which precisely mimic the body temperatures (Tb's) of large reptiles in the field. Studies of large reptiles have the compensating advantage that individuals can be followed for long periods, so that translocated individuals can be used as 'living models'. We compare Tb's of two tortoise species in an enclosure in Harare (altitude 1500 m) with those in the field at Sengwa (900 m), where mean air temperatures were about 5oC higher. Kinixys spekii, which occurs naturally near Harare, had similar Tb's at the two sites (means 27.6 and 27.0oC, respectively). Geochelone pardalis had significantly lower Tb's in Harare (29.1oC) than at Sengwa (32.6oC), even though activity was shifted towards midday in Harare. The inability to reach high Tb during activity may explain the absence of G. pardalis near Harare, and the distribution of this species in southern Africa.