Why strawberries help train giant tortoises

A ZOO is claiming to be able train a 30-stone tortoise with patience, strawberries and a red plastic ball on a stick.

Three giant tortoises from the Seychelles are being taught "positive reinforcement" by keepers at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, in Devon.

Mike Bungard, curator of lower vertebrates and invertebrates, said: "The treat can be something like peaches or tomatoes or strawberries. They seem to like the colour red. When a female VIP came to watch the training, the tortoises followed her feet because she had red nail varnish on."

Such training is used with many animals, to collect blood samples from primates or check an elephant's foot, without the need for darting, handling or separating them from their group.