African-spurred Tortoise- Geochelone sulcata

Size- African-spurred tortoises are the third largest land tortoise and reach lengths of 18-35 inches and weigh up to 180 pounds. The males are considerably larger than the females.

Life span- 80 -100 years.

Diet- Succulent plants and grasses.

Geographic range- They are native to the southern fringes of the Sahara desert from Ethiopia, West to Chad and South to Senegal.

Habitat- They inhabit dry savannahs and desert fringes.

Reproduction- Females lay 17-20 eggs in a ground nest that she digs in the sandy soil. Incubation takes 212 days and the young are 2 inches long and self-sufficient upon hatching. They are relatively fast growing tortoises, reaching their adult size within 15 years.

Special adaptations- They have sharp claws that help them dig and move about their habitat. They also have thick scales on their front legs that acts as a shield when they withdraw into their shell.

Behavior- African-spurred tortoises dig permanent sleeping burrows that is shared by 2 or more tortoises. During droughts or intolerable heat, they will retreat into their burrows to aestivate. This means they will remain in their burrow for months at a time. The burrow is cooler and supplies enough humidity to prevent them from dehydrating. Aestivation is not hibernation, which is characterized by lowered blood pressure and respiration rates.