Sulcata Tortoise

🌍 Overview

The sulcata tortoise - also known as the African spurred tortoise - is the third-largest tortoise species on Earth. Native to the Sahara desert's southern fringe (the Sahel), they survive brutal conditions by digging burrows up to 10 feet deep to escape heat. A hatchling the size of a ping-pong ball will grow to 80 to 110 lbs, and a large male past 200 - a commitment that must be made with full awareness of their adult size and a lifespan that can pass 70 years.

📋 Quick Facts

📜 History

Large numbers of sulcata tortoises were exported to the United States and Europe between the early 1970s and the 1990s, which is how a Sahelian species became a common American pet. Wild populations are reported to be declining across the range under two separate pressures: competition with domestic livestock for food and space, and collection for the trade. The captive population that resulted carries its own problem, because a hatchling sold in a plastic cup grows into an animal that can outgrow a yard and outlive its owner. Rescues take in the difference.

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🤩 Fun Facts