African Spurred Tortoise

 

• Scientific name: Centrochelys sulcata
• Type of animal: Reptile
• Where found: Africa

The African spurred tortoise is the third-largest type of tortoise in the world, and the largest found on the mainland; only the Galapagos tortoises and the Aldabran tortoise are larger (these tortoises are found on islands).

The African spurred tortoise can reach lengths of 83 cm (33 in) and weights of 105 kg (231 lb.). It is found in the Sahara Desert and the Sahel; a dry grassland / savanna region that stretches across Africa from Mauritania in the west to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the east.

Why are African spurred tortoises endangered?

Primary causes for the African spurred tortoise’s endangered status are habitat loss (due to farming and bush fires), capture for the pet trade, and being hunted for meat.