Penza, 6 August 2012. PenzaNews. Presentation of two Penza zoo’s new pets, spur thigh tortoises, took place in the framework of Tortoises’ Day in Penza on Saturday, August 4.

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“New pets are large land tortoises, male and female, who weigh 31 kg and 36 kg respectively. A separate enclosure is equipped for them next to the camels and Przewalski horses,” the zoo methodologist Lyudmila Akulyushina told news agency “PenzaNews.”

She also explained why the World Day of Tortoises, which is celebrated on May 23, was held at the zoo of Penza in August.

“We knew that in the summer these tortoises would be brought to us from Moscow. That was why we decided to postpone the celebration at a later date, so the visitors would be able to see the new pets along with the tortoises which had been here before,” said the agency interlocutor.

According to her, in the framework of the holiday there was a topical children’s celebration, during which zoo staff did demonstration animal feeding.

Spur thigh tortoises are the largest of all African land tortoises and the third largest in the world, after the elephant and the giant tortoises. Their carapace length reaches 70 cm; males may weigh up to 100 kg, females — up to 60 kg.