Spotted at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum–go there!–in Tucson.
I don’t know about you, but the thought of being fertilized by the sperm of men I “mated” with years ago–years ago, people!–boggles my mind. That poor lady tortoise! I want to buy her a box of teeny, tiny tortoise condoms. Also, the open-mouthed look on that male tortoise’s face is oddly familiar, right?
(P.S. to museum visitors: if you haven’t explained the birds and the bees to your kids yet, this exhibit will provide a teachable moment.)
I sometimes think I was a turtle in a former life. The thought of being able to retreat into a protective shell is oh-so-appealing to me.
The thought of incubating sperm for years, on the other hand…ick.
Consider me shell-shocked by this.
These poor tortoise gals are stuck with permanent wet patches, huh?
I had the, um, privilege of witness some tortoises mate the last time I was at the St. Louis zoo. The male’s groans were hilarious to hear. Very monotone and unenthusiastic sounding.
I just had a very inappropriate mental image of someone picking up a female turtle, holding her vertically, and gently tapping on the shell until the leftover sperm drips out.
HOTTT!
The “gently biting her legs” part doesn’t sound so bad. I know a few men that could learn from that turtle.
LOL! I was taken to the Arizona Desert Museum while I was on a job interview for U. of Arizona*, but it’s really good I didn’t see this poster or I would’ve started giggling.
* it was one of those “entertain the job candidate” things they do on 2 day faculty interviews….