Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone know who brought the first Sulcata to the states and when that was?

Hi,

I had the first two breeding pairs of sulcata in the country to the best of my knowledge. I got my first pair in 1972 as small animals, then added an additional pair in the mid-70's. In 1978 they had begun to produce eggs, and were getting far too large to be easily carried in and out of my basement in CT. Therefore, I sent them to San Antonio Zoo on a breeding loan, where they produced numerous babies for quite a number of years. Knowing how large they would become, I sold all of my share of the babies to various people around the country, and San Antonio Zoo distributed many to other zoos and private individuals.

At the time I got my first pair, I was aware of only one other sulcata in the US which was owned by someone from the LA area at the time. I believe his name was RJ Brown (now in FL).

It may also interest you to know that sulcata were extremely valuable back in those days. I traded a 9" Radiated Tortoise for one 10" sulcata in 1972 and considered it a fair trade!!!!!!!!

Bill Zovickian

I thought it was a guy in CA and I believe he still has them.
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Ed
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Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Hi Ed,

Have you any real facts to go with your opinion? I said there was one person in CA who had a single animal in 1971 or thereabouts. I saw the tortoise in LA at one of the old IT&TS Shows at the Rose Bowl. It was a large one, exhibited in a playpen, but it was the only one there. The owner had no others. I know this because I spoke directly to him at the show.

That show used to attrtact people from all over, and I attended a few of them, and that sulcata was the only one I ever saw other than the ones I had. I still believe that it was owned by RJ Brown, and I believe that he came from somewhere between LA and SF at the time, later moving to FL as I recall.

When I was moving back to the east, I loaned my sulcata to a fellow from the LA area and he kept them for me for a year, so perhaps that may be what you recall.

BZ

Sorry if I gave the impression that I was expressing an oppinion. It was my belief that it was a Mr. Sterns that produced the first Sulcatas in the US. That is the only documented record I could come up with Sulcatas being bred in captivity in the US. As I said, I believe he still has his group also. It was written up in the no. 10 copy of the IHS proceedings which I think is 1990 but if it was you that's a nice feather in your cap.
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Ed
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Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care