Marginated tortoise (κρασπεδοχελώνα)

Description:

This is a large female Testudo marginata turtle wich was struck by a car, in a high speed road, in central Greece. The driver brought her to Volos wildlife center where she received medical treatment and remained under close surveillance for nearly 2 years. We called her "Mother Courage", because few days later after she arrived in the wildlife center, she gave birth in to 16 eggs (none of these hatched, although we took care of them too) In the pics you can see part of the preparation wich I did in October 2008, so that she could be released in a friend's property, where she would hibernate in normal conditions for the fisrt time after her accident. The last pic shows the turtle after she "woke up", in 2009 spring. She took of all her bandages, and she no longer looked like an astronaut. She still rehabiliates, in my friend's property, but next spring she will be released -finally- in the wild.