A video showing a turtle dancing in a water shower at the Tennessee Aquarium has gone viral, according to a news release from the Aquarium.
Maggie Sipe, an animal care specialist at the aquarium, captured the Jan. 26 video of 12-year-old Turnip, a radiated tortoise who has been there since 2012.
Turnip is one of several radiated tortoises that get showers on Tuesdays and baths on Thursdays, and occasionally at other times when the animal experts have time. The aquarium’s other radiated tortoises include Rutabaga, Castellano and Grumpy, who are all on exhibit in the Lemur Forest with Turnip.
Two more baby radiated tortoises can also be seen in the Island Life exhibit, according to Thom Benson, communications manager.
Radiated tortoises are native to the dry areas of Madagascar and are known to welcome rain showers with the dancing behavior. The species is considered to be critically endangered in the wild, Benson said.