* Threatened or Endangered
African Spurred Tortoise *
: Geochelone sulcata
: Reptile
: Southern edge of the Sahara desert in northern Africa
: Grasses and weeds
: Weight up to 150 lbs., adult length 18 – 36” inches
: Endangered
• Disappearing in the wild, but quite common in the pet trade. The legal exportation from Africa has been stopped to help the species recover in its native habitat.
• Largest mainland tortoise in the world and the third largest of any tortoise, being a bit smaller than the two large island species, the Aldabra, and Galapagos varieties.
• Young tortoises are 2 to 3 inches long when first hatched, but grow very quickly and attain 100 lbs. or more when mature.
• Like other tortoises, they can live over 100 years with the proper diet.