US #5113
2016 Tortoise – Pets
- Pictures a tortoise
- Part of the 20-stamp Pets set honoring the wide range of animals we keep as companions
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Pets
Value: 47¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: August 2, 2016
First Day City: Las Vegas, Nevada<... more
US #5113
2016 Tortoise – Pets
- Pictures a tortoise
- Part of the 20-stamp Pets set honoring the wide range of animals we keep as companions
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Pets
Value: 47¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: August 2, 2016
First Day City: Las Vegas, Nevada
Quantity Issued: 400,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20
Tagging: Nonphosphored type III, block tag
Why the stamp was issued: To celebrate the role our pet tortoises play in making our lives more enjoyable.
About the stamp design: Pictures a photograph by Eric Isselée of a tortoise.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the SuperZoo National Show for Pet Retailers at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.
About the Pets set: The USPS created 20 stamps to celebrate the many different animals we humans keep as companions. Each stamp pictures one species: puppies, betta fish, iguanas, hamsters, goldfish, kittens, rabbits, tortoises, guinea pigs, parrots, corn snakes, mice, hermit crabs, chinchillas, gerbils, geckos, cats, horses, parakeets, and dogs.
History the stamp represents: A tortoise is a member of the turtle family, but not all turtles are tortoises. Generally speaking, tortoises are land-dwellers while turtles tend to be marine animals.
Since tortoises live entirely above water, they have round, stumpy feet for walking rather than flippers or webbed feet. They lack teeth and instead have strong mouths or beaks. Like other turtles, tortoises have a protective shell surrounding their body. Though the shell is hard, it also has nerve endings, which is why many pet tortoises enjoy having their shell rubbed or scratched.
There are about a dozen tortoise species in the world. The famously large and long-lived giant tortoises are native to the tropical Galapagos and Seychelles Archipelagoes. The largest on record, known as Goliath, weighed in at 919 pounds. And the oldest record-holder, named Adwaita, died in 2006 at an estimated age of 255 years old.
Though pet owners do not usually have giant tortoises, even the smaller ones require a serious commitment. They can be messy, difficult to contain, and have very specific environmental and dietary needs. But, given the right knowledge and resources, pet tortoise owners up to the task can have a lifetime of reptilian companionship.
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