I Spy On Turtles Having Sex With 3D-Printed Turtle Sex Dolls

A creative solution to the difficulties of studying creatures that are usually underwater.

By Grégory Bulté, The Conversation
Feb 5, 2020 10:00 PMFeb 5, 2020 9:59 PM
Turtle-Sex
The northern map turtle is listed as a species at risk in Canada. Little is known about its reproductive behavior as it spends most of its life underwater. (Credit: G. Bulté)

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I am a turtle voyeur. I record the private lives of turtles with hidden cameras and have gone as far as posting online some of the zesty bits. This peculiar penchant is part of my work as a chelonian behavioral ecologist.

I spy on turtles to document and understand how they make more turtles. This may seem straightforward given the notorious sluggishness of the subjects. How hard can it be to spy on turtles?

It’s harder than it sounds, but also much more exciting. And thanks to affordable gadgets such as action cameras and 3D printers, it is getting easier — and more fun.

Turtle Preoccupations

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