Red-Footed Tortoise
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Scientific Name: Geochelone carbonaria
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Also known as the South American Red-footed tortoise, the male grows up to 13.5 inches (30.4 cm) and are somewhat larger than females, which average 11.25 inches (28.9 cm) in length. It has several yellow head scales and a horizontal bar behind its eye. The carapace (shell top) is black with a small, distinct, yellow area around the areola on each scute (shell scale).
Mature specimens have distinctive incurving of sides, giving them a well-defined "waist." The plastron (shell bottom) is a relatively bland yellow-brown; there may be some reddish tint and vague dark marks along areas of more recent growth. The plastron is concave in adults. There is quite a bit of variation in coloring, with the legs and head often having patches of orange, yellow or red. The skin is black with bright yellow marks on the head and lower jaw. Many of the scales on the limbs and tail are bright scarlet.
Specimens from west of the Andes have a grayish or brownish carapace. Light limb scales are yellowish or slightly orange, but not scarlet. The plastron ranges from predominantly yellow to black.
Males are slightly larger than females. In adult males, the plastron concavity may be pigmented. The lateral and ventral concavities are most strongly developed in males. Half-grown specimens have parallel-sided shells.
DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:
The Red-footed tortoise is found in South America, from Panama to northern Argentina and on several Caribbean islands. They live in drier forest areas, grasslands, and the savanna, or rainforest belts adjoining more open habitats. The red-footed tortoise shares some of its range with the yellow-footed tortoise. In ranges that are shared in Surinam, the red-footed tortoise has moved out of the forests into grasslands, that are a result of slash and burn agriculture, while the yellow-footed tortoise has remained in the forest.
DIET:
They are primarily herbivorous. The forests they live in provide many fallen fruits, vines, grasses, wild mushrooms, leaves, flowers, and carrion (decomposing flesh). They are attracted to yellow and red flowers.
REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:
Breeding is synchronized with the onset of the rainy season. Males identify each other eliciting a characteristic head movement, a series of jerks away from and back to mid-position. Another male will make the same head movements. If he gets no head movement in response, it is the first indication that the other tortoise is a female. Scientific experimentation and observation has also indicated that the head coloration has to be correct. He will then sniff the cloacal region of the other tortoise. Copulation usually follows, though sometimes there is a period of biting at the legs. During courtship and copulation the male makes clucking sounds that sound very much like a chicken. There is a set pattern in pitches of the clucking sounds. Rival males will battle, attempting to overturn each other, however neither the males or females will defend a territory. They are considered nomadic in their movements.
Nesting: The female will lay a clutch of 5 to 15 eggs from July to September in excavations or deposited in leaf litter. She might lay several clutches during the nesting season. The eggs have brittle shells and incubation is generally from 105 to 202 days (mean 150), depending on the temperature. Hatchlings are round, flat, 1.5 inches in diameter. Unlike the yellow-footed tortoises, they do not have tooth like projections on their shells.
Status: The red-footed tortoise as well as the yellow-footed tortoise will begin to suffer greatly if the destruction and degradation of South American forests continues at its present rate.
