Scientific Name

Centrochelys Sulcata

Height

83 cm

Weight

105 kg

Lifespan

50 - 150 years

Quantity

N/A

Nickname

N/A

Sulcata Tortoise

Information

The Sulcata Tortoise, also known as the Spurred Tortoise or African Spurred Tortoise, is the third-largest species of tortoise in the world and the largest land tortoise. In Senegal, this tortoise is considered a symbol of kindness, fertility, happiness, and longevity. This tortoise has an extraordinary ability to survive without water and food for weeks. When access to water is available, they can drink up to 15% of their body weight. They adapt to the desert environment by digging burrows up to 3 meters deep to find protection from extreme temperatures.

Eating Habits

The Sulcata Tortoise is herbivorous, feeding on drought-resistant plants, including grasses, flowers, cacti, and weeds. In the wild, they rely on succulent plants to meet their water needs, as free water is extremely scarce in their environment.

Habitat

These tortoises inhabit the southern edges of the Sahara Desert in Africa, from Senegal and Mauritania, through Chad, Mali, Sudan, to Eritrea. They live in hot and dry areas, from dry savannas to desert edges, where water supply is nearly nonexistent. There is also a possibility that they are found in Somalia and Nigeria.

Interesting Facts !