Tortoise

Tortoises are reptiles of the family Testudinidae. They carry a generally hard shell for protection, and they pull their neck and head straight back into it when threatened.

Size varies a lot between kinds. The speckled Cape tortoise has a shell only about 6.8 cm long, while the biggest giants pass 1.2 metres. The genus Testudo includes the spur-thighed (Greek) tortoise, Hermann's tortoise, the marginated tortoise and the Russian tortoise.

They are usually active by day, sometimes around dawn and dusk depending on temperature, and are generally reclusive. They are typically slow-moving, placid and gentle.

Tortoises are found from southern North America to southern South America, around the Mediterranean basin, across Eurasia to Southeast Asia, in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. They are absent from Australasia. Most kinds live in semiarid habitats, though some live in deserts or wet forests.

The spur-thighed, Hermann's, marginated and Russian tortoises belong to the genus Testudo, along with the Egyptian tortoise. The spur-thighed tortoise is also called the Greek or Moorish tortoise.

Tortoises have long had a place in human culture. In Chinese culture they symbolise longevity, and ancient Chinese people used tortoise shells as oracle bones. In Greek myth, Hermes made the first lyre from one. In 1968 two Russian tortoises flew around the Moon on the Zond 5 mission and returned safely.

Tortoises are generally gentle, placid and reclusive. They tend to be active in the day, and sometimes at dawn and dusk depending on the temperature.

Because of their shell and short limbs, sight is not a strong way for them to communicate. They use smell to tell the sex of other tortoises, and touch matters in courtship and combat, where ramming is used.

Tortoises are generally strict herbivores that eat grasses, weeds, leafy greens, flowers and some fruits. Different kinds vary greatly in their nutritional needs.

Tortoises are among the longest-lived animals. Most kinds can live 80 to 150 years, and some individuals have passed 150.

Too much protein is harmful in herbivorous kinds and has been linked with shell deformities and other medical problems.

Growth rings on the shell can sometimes hint at age, but they are unreliable. Some tortoises grow more than one ring a season, wear can hide rings, and steady access to food and water can mean no clear rings at all.

This is general awareness only, not veterinary advice. Always consult a vet about your pet's health.

How long do tortoises live?

Most kinds live 80 to 150 years. Timothy, a spur-thighed tortoise, lived to about 165 and was once a Royal Navy mascot.

What is the difference between a tortoise, a turtle and a terrapin?

In British English, tortoise is used for land-dwelling kinds. Terrapin refers to semiaquatic turtles. These words are common names and not precise scientific divisions.

Are tortoises vegetarian?

They are generally strict herbivores, eating grasses, weeds, leafy greens, flowers and some fruits. Some kinds take worms, insects or carrion in the wild, and young ones may eat worms or insect larvae for extra protein.

How can you tell a male tortoise from a female?

The tail is the easiest clue. Females usually have smaller tails that hang down, while males have longer tails, usually held up and to the side. Males also have a plastron curved inwards.

Are tortoises clever?

Their brains are extremely small. Studies of red-footed tortoises suggest they may use a different brain area for emotional actions.

Tortoises are the longest-living land animals in the world.

The oldest tortoise on record, Tu'i Malila, was born in 1777 and died in 1965 aged 188.

Tortoise eggs are typically laid at night and covered with sand, soil and organic material. Hatchlings have an egg sac that feeds them for the first three to seven days.

Tortoises cannot swim, yet they can survive months without food or fresh water, and some have survived drifting more than 740 km at sea.