DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
Madagascar: South-West regions. Areas with low rainfall, covered with dry soil vegetation, forest areas. High inland plateaus as well as sandy areas near the coasts. Endemic species.
BEHAVIOUR
Active in the morning and late afternoon. The hot part of the day is spent in the shade of bushes and trees or buried in the ground. During the mating season, the male makes hissing and grunting voices.
DIET
Mainly grasses, rarely animal remains. In some areas, it eats invasive prickly pear. In the rainy season, he drinks water accumulated in rock depressions.
REPRODUCTION
It matures sexually when the armor is more than 25 cm long. The female lays from 1 to 5 eggs in one brood. Incubation period: 145 – 231 days.
GOOD TO KNOW
Main threats to the species: acquisition of turtles for illegal trade, loss of natural habitat.
- Latin name: Astrochelys radiata
- IUCN – Red List – CR – Critically endangered
- CITES – Appendix I
- EEP – European Endangered Species Programme