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    African spurred tortoise

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    This giant is the largest African and third of all the tortoises on earth

    Σ64

    The semi-arid grasslands, scrub, and savannah zones along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert are home to these tortoises, native to arid and semi-arid areas of Africa. They are most active in the hours between dusk and dawn, and they typically bask in the morning to warm up after a chilly night.

    They are pretty combative with one another. The breeding season is when this antagonism peaks, although it begins as soon as they hatch. They are currently enlisted as Vulnerable on the IUCN red list due to the destruction of their habitats and overgrazing by livestock.

    Distribution

    Country
    Population est.
    Status
    Year
    Comments
    Algeria
    2020
    Presence Uncertain
    Benin
    2020
    Possibly Extant
    Burkina Faso
    2020
    Cameroon
    2020
    Possibly Extant
    Central Af. Rep.
    2020
    Chad
    2020
    Djibouti
    2020
    Possibly Extinct, Origin Uncertain
    Eritrea
    2020
    Ethiopia
    2020
    Mali
    2020
    Mauritania
    2020
    Niger
    2020
    Nigeria
    2020
    Saudi Arabia
    2020
    Origin Uncertain
    Senegal
    2020
    Somalia
    2020
    Presence Uncertain, Origin Uncertain
    Sudan
    2020
    Togo
    2020
    Possibly Extinct
    Yemen
    2020
    Origin Uncertain

    Did you know?

    • In Senegal, the African spurred tortoise is a sign of virtue, fertility, happiness and longevity.
    • This tortoise can last for weeks without water and food, and when it finds water, it can drink as much as 15% of its own body weight.
    • An African-spurred tortoise faces danger if it falls onto its back, especially if the temperature is extremely high.

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    Get to know me

    Terrestrial / Aquatic

    Altricial / Precocial

    Polygamous / Monogamous

    Dimorphic (szie) / Monomorphic

    Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

    Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd

    Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

    Migratory: Yes / No

    Domesticated: Yes / No

    Dangerous: Yes / No

    EXEWCRENVUNTLCDDNE
    Endangered(IUCN)
    World Population
    Added by BioDB
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    Threats

    Habitat destruction / Climate change / Freshwater pollution / Marine pollution / Deforestation / Farming / Fishing practices / Poaching & wildlife trade / Invasive species / Parasites & diseases / Noise pollution / Light pollution

    My ID

    Scientific name: Centrochelys sulcata Explanation to scientific name:

    sulcata derived from the Latin word ‘sulcus‘ which means furrow and it refers to the furrows on the tortoise’s scales

    Physical traits

    Length: 50 – 76 cm (20 – 30 in) Weight Male: 90 kg (200 pounds) Weight Female: 40 kg (90 pounds) Lifespan: 50 – 150 years Gestation: 60 days Incubation: 90 – 240 days Eggs: 15 – 30 eggs
    Habitats: Shrubland Savannah/Grassland
    Regions: Africa Asia
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    Related lists

    Turtles’ world records list

    BioDB