Radiated Tortoise

Radiated tortoises eat grasses, fruit, and succulent plants, like cacti.

At the Zoo, tortoises are offered a diet of assorted vegetables and fruit, including sweet potatoes and leafy greens.

Radiated tortoises can only be found on the most southern and southwestern parts of the island of Madagascar.

These tortoises live in areas with dry brush and thorny forests.

Eggs and young tortoises are prey for birds, snakes, and carnivorous mammals.

Radiated tortoises are critically endangered due to poaching for the pet trade, traditional eastern medicine, and food, both locally and internationally. Deforestation and land use changes into agricultural land, grazing space for domestic livestock, and the collection of wood for charcoal.

Radiated tortoises have a highly domed, smooth shell, called a carapace, with striking yellow lines radiating from the center of each dark plate of the shell. This “star” pattern gives the tortoise its common name. The legs, arms, and head are all yellow in color, except for a dark patch in the middle of the forehead.

Male radiated tortoises become mature when they reach about 12 inches long, while females are usually larger. It can take them between 16 to 21 years to be ready to reproduce. After mating, a female tortoise digs a shallow hole to lay her three to twelve eggs. She buries the nest and leaves it alone to incubate for five to eight months. Females can lay one to three groups of eggs, called clutches, each year. The hatchlings are pale yellow with black markings and have flatter shells than adult tortoises. As they grow, their shells slowly become more dome shaped.

Radiated tortoises communicate through sounds, including hisses and grunts. They also use body language, like head bobbing. During breeding, scent plays an important role as females communicate their willingness to mate. Pushing, head-butting, and other physical touches are also used.

This cold-blooded animal is active throughout the day.