A hat called Walter the Malagasy Spider Tortoise
[Hannover-Zoo 2003-07-31]

31.07.2003
New in the zoo: The world`s smallest tortoise

To be on top of the world ??? who wouldn´t have dreamed about that before?
For a small tortoise that may as well be someone else`s head and for Walter it is a dream come true. The 20-year old plucked up all his courage and climbed straight onto boss Otto´s head. And Otto didn' t mind. Even though the boss outmatches the snappy youth by far: although both are the same age, Otto weighs 200 kilogrammes, but Walter only 50 grammes. And while Otto measures 1,10 metres in length, Walter is only 8 centimetres long! Though there is one thing they` ve both got in common: they are as cool as a cucumber, annoyances just make them draw in their heads, and they effortlessly reach an age of 180 years or more.

Since Wednesday, 23 July, the Erlebnis-Zoo Hannover displays the world`s largest and smallest tortoises. The six new honey-brown coloured Malagasy Spider Tortoises with their web-like pattern are going to live together with the gigantic Aldabra Tortoise in the tortoise enclosure - of course, in separate areas, so that Otto won`t accidentally step on Walter`s head!