Aldabra tortoise (nesting)

Description:

Kadabra the Aldabra tortoise digs a nest chamber on an unseasonably warm and busy day at the zoo. Lots of visitors got to see this neat event, as it took her nearly 4 hours to complete the hole to her liking. The pruners were for trimming pesky tree roots that were in the way, and the trowel was for helping her dig through a layer of hard clay. Photo #4 shows her long toenails, which are used to scrape the soil and shape the chamber. Then, alternating her feet, she scoops out the soil, one tiny bit at a time. (Note: she ended up laying 16 eggs)

Notes:

This spotting took place at Tulsa Zoo.