Binghamton Zoo Animals

Sulcata Tortoise
African Spurred Tortoise
(Geochelone sulcata)

Order: Testudines
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Geochelone
Species: Geochelone sulcata

HABITAT AND RANGE: The Sulcata tortoise lives in hot, arid environments of the Sahelian type. These areas range from desert fringes to dry savannahs. Standing water is only around for limited amounts of time. The sulcata tortoise occurs along the southern edge of the Sahara, from Senegal and Mauritania east through Mali, Niger, Chad, the Sudan, Ethiopia, and along the Red Sea in Eritrea.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: They are the largest of the African mainland tortoises. These tortoises have broad, oval, flattened carapaces that are brown to yellow in color. The carapace is flattened dorsally, with abruptly descending sides and a deep cervical notch. The anterior and posterior marginals are serrated, and the posterior marginals upturned. They do not have a cervical scute. The plastron is ivory colored with divided anal scutes and paired forked gulars. They have growth rings on the scutes that are strongly marked with age. Skin color is golden to yellow-brown and very, very thick. Mature males usually develop reverted marginal scales in the front. The large scales on the front legs overlap. On the rear legs, there are spurs which are not known to serve any particular purpose.

ADAPTATIONS: Sulcatas like to burrow and are well adapted at doing it. They are very strong and active tortoises and when the weather gets too hot or too cold for them, they retreat to a burrow. This also helps them to avoid dehydration, since they depend mainly on metabolic water and the moisture in food for water. When temperatures reach more than 40 C, they salivate and smear the saliva on their forearms to help with cooling.

DIET:  The Sulcata Tortoises are vegetarian. It relies on succulent plants for food and much of its water. In captivity, it will eat a variety of grasses, lettuce, berseem, and morning-glory leaves.

REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT: After mating between September and November, the female's body will swell with eggs and she will decrease her food intake. She becomes increasingly restless as she looks for good places to make a nest. Nesting season is in the autumn. Her clutch size may reach 15-30 eggs, sometimes more.

STATUS IN WILD: The US Federal List does not give this tortoise a special status. However, the IUCN Red List states that they are “vulnerable.”