Tortoises

Fun facts

• It is the third-largest land tortoise in the world. An adult can weigh over 100 kg.
• They have a lifespan of 70 to 150 years. Some outlive several human generations.
• They dig deep burrows. They use them to regulate temperature and shelter from extreme desert heat.
• They are strictly herbivores. They eat grasses, leaves and flowers. Never animal protein.
• They are adapted to the desert. They can survive weeks without drinking directly, getting water from the plants they eat.

It lives along the southern edge of the Sahara desert, from Senegal to Ethiopia. It is listed as Endangered by the IUCN.