Photo: (c) madhavan a.p, some rights reserved (CC BY) (CC-BY)
Turtle Species
Travancore Tortoise
Indotestudo travancorica
- Scientific nameIndotestudo travancorica
- Japanese nameトラバンコアリクガメ
- FamilyTortoises (Testudinidae)
- Max carapace length33 cm
- Longest recorded lifespan12 years
- DietOmnivorous
- LifestyleTerrestrial
- Conservation status (IUCN)VU — Vulnerable
- iNaturalist observations75
About this species
The Travancore tortoise is a large forest tortoise growing up to 330 millimetres (13 in) in length. The species was first described by George Albert Boulenger in 1907. It primarily feeds on grasses and herbs. It also feeds on molluscs, insects, animal carcass, fungi and fruits. It occurs in hill forests at 450–850 m elevation. Males combat by ramming their shell during their breeding season between November and March. It makes a shallow nest in the ground and lay 1 to 5 eggs. Hatchlings are 55–60 mm in size. The tortoise is hunted and it is threatened due to forest fires, habitat destruction and fragmentation.
Source: Wikipedia「Travancore tortoise」 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
