* 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.
This is the 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 all tortoises, they can live over 100 years with the proper diet.