The Radiated Tortoise is a species of tortoise that is native to the island of Madagascar.
This species is very long lived, even for tortoises. They are known to live for well over 150 years.
Unfortunately, due to habitat destruction and illegal poaching these beautiful tortoises are critically endangered in the wild.
Radiated Tortoise Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Radiated Tortoise Family
The Radiated Tortoise belongs to the family Testudinidae. This is simply the family of tortoises. They are closely related to Pond Turtles and Asian Turtles.
This family contains all the species of tortoises including the Egyptian Tortoise and the Texas Tortoise.
Tortoises can vary greatly in size from the Galapagos Giant Tortoise that is over 1.2 metres to tiny tortoises that are only about 3 inches in length.
Most species of tortoise have a number of similarities. However, there are always a few exceptions to these rules.
In general, tortoises have a hard shell and they retract their head and neck directly backwards into the shell to protect them.
They are land animals that swim poorly or can’t swim at all. They typically move very slowly, with average speeds of less than 0.5km per hour.
There are 17 different genera of tortoises at the time of writing and over 60 recognised species.
Genus
The genus that the Radiated Tortoise belongs to is called Astrochelys. There are only two species that are classified under this genus.
Both of them are native to Madagascar and are both considered critically endangered. The other species in this genus is called the Angonoka tortoise.
Species
The scientific name for the Radiated Tortoise is Astrochelys radiata. The species was first described in 1801 and was long considered part of the Testudo genus.
Radiated Tortoise Description
The Radiated Tortoise is a medium to large sized tortoise that can grow to around 40cm in length.
This is a stunning species that has beautiful patterning on it carapace or upper shell, which is highly domed.
The tortoise itself is yellow in color with a black marking on the top of its head. This marking can vary in size and shape from one specimen to another.
The Carapace of the Radiated Tortoise is dark brown or black in color with raised ridges in the middle of each scute.
The centre of each of these scutes has a yellow blotch with narrow yellow lines radiating out from them. This is where the tortoise gets its common name.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Radiated Tortoise is native to the Southern parts of Madagascar. Due to habitat destruction and poaching, these tortoises are critically endangered in the wild.
They can be found along the Southern coast of the island with their range extending from Toliara in the West to Taolagnaro in the South-East.
Their range also extends further inland between the valleys of the Ivakoany Massif Mountain range to the Isalo National Park.
It is also reported that these tortoises have been introduced to other neighbouring islands such as Mauritius and Reunion Island.
They like to live in dry environments and can be found in woodlands, thorn forests and scrubland.
Radiated Tortoise Behaviour
The Radiated Tortoise is a diurnal species meaning they are mainly active during the day when the temperature is nice and warm.
However, they need a lot of water and will tend to retreat to underground burrows if it gets too hot in an attempt to avoid the intense heat and conserve water.
They make a loud screeching sound when they feel threatened. This is intended to confuse or scare off a potential threat.