African Spur-thighed Tortoise Natural History
Size
The average size of this tortoise is around 18 inches (45cm) with weights of 70 to 100 pounds.
Habitat and Distribution
Generally the habitat of this tortoise is made up to arid grassland, savannah and thorny scrub, across Chad, Ethiopia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan. They live in burrows averaging around 30 inches in depth, however they have been recorded in burrows up to 10 feet long.
Age
This species is thought to live to ages of around 80 years.
Diet
Due to the very dry areas which this species inhabits they very rarely come across fruits as part of their diet but they may occasionally eat small numbers of berries. The bulk of their diet is made up from eating leafy plants and from grazing.
Groups and Breeding
This species only lays a small number eggs per year (between 4 to 10) which may be spaced apart over as much as a month and thus laid in different nest sites. These eggs once laid will generally hatch out in around 80 to 90 days.
Threats
These tortoises are now listed as Endangered by the IUCN. Their threats come from the modification and desertification of their habitat, the international pet trade, local consumption of them and their eggs, cattle ranching and bush fires, habitat fragmentation, increasing instances of drought and climate change.
Interesting Facts
This tortoise is known as one of the giant tortoises because even though its average shell size is around 18 inches, it is not uncommon for these to reach lengths of 24 inches to 36 inches (60cm – 90cm) and weighing up to 150 pounds (70Kg), with a record weight of 240 pounds (105Kg).
The Tortoises During Your Day Out in Kent
At Wingham Wildlife Park the African Spur-thighed Tortoises (also often called Sulcata Tortoises) are the second largest species which you will find. We are actually home to five of this species and you may notice that we have numbered them! 01 is Tommy, 02 Tamwar, 03 Tarquin, 04 Tyrone and 05 Tyson.
They are housed next to the giraffes alongside the Blesbok and Crowned Cranes.
The more you know…
Want to know more about this animal? Check out our keeper blogs about them here.