About

Living in a shell!!

The African spurred tortoise is the largest mainland tortoise, easily reaching 30 inches (76 centimeters) in length and well over 100 pounds (45 kilograms) in heft. Some males even reach 200 pounds (90 kilograms)! It is surpassed only by the island dweller tortoises from Aldabra and Galápagos.

Turtles and tortoises are a very old group of reptiles, going back about 220 million years. Of all wildlife with backbones, turtles and tortoises are the only ones that also have a shell, made up of 59 to 61 bones covered by plates called scutes, which are made of keratin like our fingernails. They cannot crawl out of it because the shell is permanently attached to the spine and the rib cage. The shell’s top is called the carapace, and the bottom is the plastron. They can feel pressure and pain through their shells, just as you can feel pressure through your fingernails.

Threats

The African Spurred Tortoise faces significant threats from habitat loss due to agricultural expansion, urbanization, and deforestation, which severely impact their natural environments. Overgrazing by livestock competes with the tortoises for food resources, exacerbating the strain on their habitat. Additionally, these tortoises are at risk from illegal pet trade and poaching for their meat and shells, further reducing their wild populations. Climate change also poses a challenge by altering their natural habitat and affecting food availability, leading to difficulties in finding adequate nourishment and suitable nesting sites. Conservation efforts are crucial to protect this species and its habitat from further decline.

Conservation Action

At Al Ain Zoo, we are dedicated to the conservation of the African Spurred Tortoise through our comprehensive and innovative programs. Our efforts focus on breeding, habitat restoration, and public education to ensure the survival of this species. We have established specialized facilities to create optimal breeding conditions and have successfully bred numerous tortoises, contributing to the stabilization of their population.