Red-footed tortoise

Language English

Onglets

Description

Distinguishing features

The red-footed tortoise is distinguished by its domed shell ranging from dark brown to black, often patterned with yellow or orange spots on the scutes. Its head and limbs are marked with vivid red or orange, especially noticeable in males.

Its sturdy legs, equipped with strong claws, are adapted for walking on soft ground. Size varies between the sexes, with males generally larger than females.

Reproduction

Reproduction in the red-footed tortoise generally takes place during the rainy season, though the timing varies across its geographic range.

Males perform courtship displays by bobbing their heads and producing guttural sounds. After mating, the female digs a shallow nest with her hind legs and lays between 5 and 15 eggs.

Embryonic development depends directly on the temperature of the substrate, itself influenced by humidity and the decomposition of surrounding leaf litter. Incubation lasts from 3 to 6 months, depending on environmental conditions.

Diet

An omnivorous and opportunistic feeder, this tortoise consumes mainly fallen fruits, leaves, and fungi. It also eats invertebrates and occasionally scavenges on animal remains.

Predators

Young tortoises fall prey to birds of prey, carnivorous mammals such as coatis, and some large reptiles. Adults, protected by their solid shell, are less vulnerable to natural predators but remain threatened by poaching and collisions with vehicles.

In some regions, the red-footed tortoise continues to be captured for food.

Habitat

The red-footed tortoise lives in forests and humid savannas. It is found in the tropical forests of South America, mainly in Colombia, Venezuela, and Guyana.

Further south, its range extends into Bolivia and parts of Brazil. It is also present on certain Caribbean islands, although its origin there is uncertain, as it is suspected to have been introduced by humans.

Ecology, behaviour

A diurnal and mostly solitary species, the red-footed tortoise can travel long distances in its movements. It plays an important ecological role by dispersing the seeds of many fruits it consumes.

This burrowing tortoise turns over the soil while foraging, which helps aerate the ground and recycle nutrients. Human pressures that reduce its lifespan, combined with its late sexual maturity, make it a vulnerable species.

French name

Tortue charbonnière

Scientific name

Chelonoidis carbonaria

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Reptilia

Order

Chelonia

Family

Testudinidae

Size

Length of male: about 40 cm; length of female: about 30 cm

Weight

Male: 1.2 to 9.5 kg; female: 2 to 6.6 kg

Life span

In captivity: more than 60 years In the wild: about 30 years

Status

Vulnerable species

At the Biodôme

The red-footed tortoise can be seen on the capybara beach in the Biodôme’s Tropical Rainforest. It shares its habitat—but not its food!

To make sure the other animals don’t steal its meals, feeding trays are placed under the visitor pathway. A low opening gives the tortoises access, while keeping the other animals out.

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