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Range: extreme southern and southwestern Madagascar.
Introduced to the nearby island of Reunion
Habitat: lakeside and coastal scrub and in thorn
(Didierea) forests; tamarind gallery forest; semi-desert scrub
Listing: CITES Appendix I. Listed as Vulnerable
largely due to subsistence hunting or collecting for sale as food
or for the pet trade and habitat loss. Its range has declined
by one-fifth over the last 25 years.
Diet: the radiated tortoise enjoys grazing on
grasses and succulent plants A favorite food in the wild is the
Opuntia cactus. At the zoo they get a diet of Tortoise chow, greens,
and assorted fruits and vegetables and have alfalfa and grass
hay available at all times.
Behavior: during courtship and mating the male begins by following
and circling the female, bobbing his head up and down and sniffing
the female’s hind legs. He may attempt to lift her up with
the front edge of his shell to keep her from moving away. The
male will mount her from the rear, positioning his tail under
and against her tail. He then strikes the lower anal region of
his plastron against the rear of the female’s carapace by
pumping his rear legs in and out. In addition to the noise of
their shells striking together, the male will also hiss or grunt
at this time.
Reproduction: The average breeding age for males
is 24 yrs and for females 34 yrs. Males first mate upon attaining
lengths of about 12” while females may need to be a few
inches longer.
Mating season occurs during the rainy season in Madagascar, December
through March. The female can lay 1-6 clutches of 3-12 eggs per
clutch per season. Incubation period ranges from 121 days to 271
days depending on temperature and humidity
Social Life: Aggressive social interaction between males is vital
to the successful reproduction of the Radiated tortoise although
in large groups males may often miss out on reproductive opportunities
because of their preoccupation on agonistic behaviors with their
many competitors.
Interesting Facts:
Known as “Sokakes” to locals
Largest of the “starred” tortoises and the most striking
with a yellow or orange center to each black scute from which
extend four to twelve yellow or orange lines of varying thicknesses
The shell is supplied with blood vessels and nerves so like other
tortoises it can feel when being touched
Radiated tortoises can reach up to 35 pounds and have a carapace
of 16”
They can live as long as 40 to 50 years
MZG Animals: The three Radiated tortoises at
MZG are all females and are not part of the SSP breeding program
at this time.
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