Shells & Sidekicks
SHELLS & SIDEKICKS
The Photo Safari Badge
Focus your lens on the slow-moving, armored giants of the dry land!
African Spurred Tortoises (also known as Sulcata tortoises) are true marvels of survival and are among the largest tortoise species in the world! These incredible creatures have evolved to live in hot, dry environments, and their heavy, domed shells act as protective, walking fortresses. Their shells are made of fused bone covered in thick plates called scutes, which are made of keratin—the very same material as your own hair and fingernails!
As the tortoise grows, new layers of keratin build up underneath, creating beautiful, concentric rings that look like the growth rings of an ancient tree. Capturing these detailed, rugged textures with your camera is the ultimate challenge for any wildlife photographer!
Level 1: Little Hatchlings Challenge
Find our African Spurred Tortoises basking in the sun or slowly munching on grass. Watch them take a few slow, steady steps. Try to move in “slow motion” just like them for 10 seconds, feeling how sturdy and heavy your “invisible shell” would be!
Level 2: Junior Trackers Challenge
Look closely at the thick, scaly spurs on the tortoises’ back legs. Discuss with your family how these hard “spurs” help them dig deep underground burrows to escape the blazing midday sun and stay cool in the wild.
Level 3: Master Gators Challenge
Get your camera or phone ready for The Photo Safari! Zoom in safely and snap a crisp, clear, close-up photo of the tortoise’s shell. Your goal is to capture the “Ancient Armor” texture—showing the beautiful, layered growth rings of the keratin scutes in high detail!
