Skip to Content

Tortoise Outsmarts Eagle 

Published:

Author:
Author Kiah Bettison

Eagle
Image by Ingo Doerrie via unsplash

Are you familiar with the ancient Aesopian fable of the tortoise and the hare? Sometimes, slow and steady wins the race. In this case, the tortoise, once again, proved that they should not be underestimated!

The Video 

bald eagle
Image via Pixabay
YouTube video
“Slow turtle attacks an eagle,” Source: YouTube, Uploaded: Daily Dose of Internet

Comparison Of the Animals 

bald eagle
Image via Pixabay

Tortoise Strengths

Tortoise
Mountain tortoise (Geochelone pardalis) in South Africa. Image via Depositphotos

Endurance:

sea turtle
Image via Pixabay

Tortoises are known for their extraordinary endurance, which allows them to move slowly but steadily toward their destination. In the fable, the tortoise uses his endurance to keep moving without stopping, giving him an edge over the eagle.

Shell:

galapagos giant tortoise
Mfield, Matthew Field, http://www.photography.mattfield.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The tortoise’s shell is its greatest asset, protecting it from predators and shelter from extreme temperatures. In the fable, the tortoise uses his shell to trick the eagle into dropping him from a high altitude, allowing him to win the race.

Patience:

Russian tortoise
Beautiful close-up of a Russian tortoise or Horsfield tortoise, Agrionemys horsfieldii, lying in the grass. Image by MattLphotography via depositphotos.com

Tortoises are patient creatures, willing to wait for their moment to strike. In the fable, the tortoise waits for the eagle to tire out before moving, using his endurance and patience to his advantage.

Eagle Strengths

Bald Eagle
Close up shot of the United States’ most iconic bird – the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Image via Depositphotos

Speed:

bald eagle
Image via Pixabay

Eagles are known for their incredible speed, which allows them to swoop down and catch their prey quickly. In the fable, the eagle relies on his speed to fly ahead of the tortoise and win the race.

Sharp Vision:

bald eagle
Image via Depositphotos

Eagles possess exceptional vision, enabling them to survey their environment in search of potential prey. In the fable, the eagle uses his strong vision to spot the tortoise from a high altitude but underestimates the tortoise’s resourcefulness.

Strength:

bald eagle
Image via Depositphotos

Eagles are powerful birds, able to carry prey that weighs more than their body weight. In the fable, the eagle tries to use his power to his advantage by taking the tortoise high into the air, but ultimately this proves to be his downfall.

More of the Animal Kingdom

Radiated tortoise
The Radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata), endemic of southern Madagascar. Image by pierivb via depositphotos
    Latest posts by Kiah Bettison (see all)