Explorer Paul Rose engaged in a slow, nail-biting chase with a giant tortoise when he and a producer came across two tortoises mating.

Giant Tortoise Chases Paul Rose

Rose is currently leading a National Geographic Pristine Seas expedition in the Seychelles, north of Madagascar, and he and film producer Neil Gelinas were studying the animals native to the island when the odd interaction occurred.

According to Rose’s blog post, titled “Never, Ever Interrupt Mating Giant Tortoises,” he ran into the two giant tortoises mating on Assumption Island. He and Gelinas decided to film some footage of the tortoises, only to be spotted by the male who chased them away from his mating ground.

“Inevitably the gigantic male… spotted or smelled us and, with a look and an attitude that we can all understand, came over to exert his rights to the female, his bit of the island, and some privacy,” Rose wrote.

The 600-pound tortoise slowly charged Rose and Gelinas, and, while it didn’t give much in way of speed, the tortoise packs a mean bite, which Rose was careful to avoid.

The tortoise engaged Rose and Gelinas in “a ludicrous, disconcerting, low-speed chase” for quite some ways until Rose made clear that he would win in a race, breaking out into a short sprint.