About
Animal Facts
Common Name:
Red-footed Tortoise
Scientific Name:
Chelonoidis carbonarius
Behavior:
  • Usually solitary, except when coming together to breed.
  • Competing males bob their heads and wrestle, with the winner flipping the other onto its back.
  • If not feeding, they can be found under hollow logs or in burrows.
Diet:
Herbivore
Height:
20 in
Weight:
20 lb
Length:
12 in
Life Span:
50 yrs
Gestation Period:
150 days
Number of Young:
5-15 eggs
Habitats:
  • Forest
  • Grassland
  • Savanna
Fun Facts:
  • Males make a sound much like the cluck of chickens to attract females.
  • When meeting, males and females use head movements in greeting.
  • Males are larger than females, with a much longer and distinct tail.
  • Eggs are laid eight inches down in leaf litter and then covered.
Threats:
  • Poaching / Over Consumption
Endangered Status
Endangered Status
  • Extinct in Wild (EW)
  • Critically Endangered (CR)
  • Endangered (EN)
  • Vulnerable (VU)
  • Near Threatened (NT)
  • Least Concern (LC)
  • Not Evaluated (NE)

The Aviary provides the perfect habitat for these forest tortoises with its warm temperatures and high humidity. We feed them a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, similar to what they might find in the wild.