The Yellow Footed Tortoise is a species of tortoise that is native to the Amazon Basin region of South America.
This species of tortoise is known by a number of other common names including the Brazilian Giant Tortoise and the Brazilian Giant Turtle.
It is closely related to the Red Footed Tortoise, which is a popular species kept in captivity by reptile keepers.
It is a large species of tortoise, that typically grows to around 16 inches in length. It is one of the largest tortoises in the world.
Yellow Footed 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.
Family
The Yellow Footed Tortoise belongs to the family Testudinidae. This is simply the family of tortoises. They are closely related to Pond Turtles and Asian Turtles.
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 Yellow Footed Tortoise belongs to is called Chelonoidis. There are a number of ‘giant’ species of tortoise in this genus.
The genus includes the Galapagos Tortoise, which is the largest species of tortoise in the world.
Yellow Footed Tortoise Species
The scientific name for the Yellow Footed Tortoise is Chelonoidis denticulatus. There are currently no recognised sub-species.
The species was first described in 1766. At the time it was put in the genus Testudo which contains species such as the Hermanns Tortoise and the Marginated Tortoise.
It was first described by a Swedish botanist named Carl Linnaeus.
Linnaeus is credited for formalising binomial nomenclature which is the modern system of naming organisms.
He has described a large number of reptiles including the Common Slow Worm, the Green Ameiva, the Eastern Copperhead, the Mediterranean House Gecko, the Northern Water Snake and the Banded Water Snake.
He also described the Ringneck Snake, the Blunthead Three Snake, the Rainbow Lizard, the Greek Tortoise, the Surinam Horned Frog, the Desert Horned Viper and the Nile Monitor.
Yellow Footed Tortoise Description
The Yellow Footed Tortoise is a large species of tortoise that can grow to around 16 inches or 40cm in length.
It is considered one of the largest species of tortoise in the world and is usually documented as being the fifth or sixth largest species.
Their carapace or upper shell is long and oval in shape. It is also highly domed. It is typically dark brown or black in color with a yellow or yellowish-brown patterning.
The coloration of the shell can vary greatly. Some specimens have highly yellow shells with darker markings around the edges of each scute.
Other specimens primarily display the darker coloration throughout most of the upper shell with smaller yellowish blotches in the middle of each scute.
The plastron is usually a yellow and black color. Typically, the black coloration is concentrated in the centre but this can vary.
The scales of the tortoise itself are usually brown or black in color with yellow markings on their head and feet.
It is the yellow scales that run along the tortoise’s legs that give them their common name, the Yellow Footed Tortoise.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Yellow Footed Tortoise can be found throughout much of the Northern half of South America.
This species typically isn’t found along the pacific coast as their distribution has been cut off by the Andes Mountain Range.
However, there are isolated populations in some Pacific coastal regions where the tortoise has been introduced.
In the North of its range, the Yellow Footed Tortoise can be found in places such as Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela Guyana, Suriname and French Guinea.
Their range extends Southwards into places such as Peru, Bolivia and parts of Brazil.
They are not found in the countries further South such as Chile, Paraguay Argentina and Uruguay.
As expected from their large geographical distribution, these tortoises can be found in a variety of different habitats.
They like to live in grasslands and savannas where there are plenty of grasses to graze on. They can also be found in drier forested areas.
They will also live in more humid areas such as along the outskirts of rainforests. It this kind of habitat, they can venture into denser vegetation or retreat out into more open grassland areas.
Yellow Footed Tortoise Behaviour
The Yellow Footed Tortoise is a diurnal species meaning they are primarily active during the day and will sleep at night.
Interestingly, females are typically active year-round while males are more active during the wetter months when food is plentiful and mating season is about to begin.
As soon as these tortoises leave the egg, they are completely independent and have to fend for themselves.
Yellow Footed Tortoise Diet
The Yellow Footed Tortoise is omnivorous, meaning that it has a diet that consists of both animal and plant-based matter.
They will eat a wide range of plant-based matter ranging from grasses, hay, flowers and fruit to things like roots, bark and mushrooms.
They are particularly fond of eating fallen fruit. This occurs during the wet season and offers a welcome boost of calories for both males and females leafing up to the breeding season. They will supplement their diet with insects, worms, snails and other protein sources. They have even been reported to eat carrion.
