Saturday, August 2, 2025

Eastern Long Snake Necked Turtle for Saturday Critter

 


This photograph, too, hails from a bygone era—captured over thirty years ago at Healesville Sanctuary, by the edge of a tranquil pond. It is difficult to fathom that such richness of colour and remarkable clarity could be achieved with a digital SLR of such vintage. The image stands as a quiet testament to the enduring capabilities of early digital photography, as well as to the attentive eye behind the lens.

The true subject of the photograph is a native freshwater turtle, most likely the Eastern Long-necked Turtle (Chelodina longicollis), a species commonly found in the wetlands, rivers, and billabongs of southeastern Australia, including the sanctuary grounds at Healesville. With its distinctive serpentine neck—often as long as its shell—this turtle has long fascinated naturalists and casual observers alike. When threatened, it emits a pungent musk from its glands, earning it the colloquial name "stinker."

In this image, the turtle appears either basking or gliding just beneath the surface, its smooth carapace catching the light, revealing details lost to the hurried eye. These turtles are an essential part of the aquatic ecosystem, feeding on insects, small fish, and carrion, and contributing to the balance of the watery habitats they call home.

To think that this moment—quiet, ordinary, and now distant—was captured so vividly with the technology of the time is both humbling and wondrous. It reminds us of the enduring value of patient observation and the rich natural heritage preserved within sanctuaries such as Healesville.


Pentax K10D 

Pentax 300mm f2.8 


Linking Saturday Critter



15 comments:

  1. What an amazing moment you captured. I enlarged the photo to get a better look at the face of this wonderful turtle. Perfect and unique!

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  2. Preciosa y bien conseguida. Los colores y la nitidez son sorprendente si como dices se hizo con una reflex digital de más de 30 años.

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  3. Me llama la atención el color del agua, además de esa interesante tortuga.

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    1. I was hooked by the colour rendition of the Pentax series back then

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  4. It really is a wonderful photo. Just like I was really there looking at him! Your observation is great to identify him from just the head, and a bit of the shell.

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    1. I just don't spend much time photographing wildlife anymore

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  5. That giant turtle looks great, except for the fact that it looks like it has dropped its glasses.

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  6. It is a remarkable photo, taken mid 1990s? I began looking at digital cameras about 2000 and was told I would only ever need a 2 megapixel camera. Even when I did buy a digital camera, my photos were nothing like this one you've shared.

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  7. Perfection! He is quite beautiful andI l love his green surroundings.

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