Egyptian Tortoise

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Egyptian Tortoise

Egyptian Tortoise in the Negev desert

Conservation status

Critically endangered

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Testudinidae
Genus:	Testudo
Species:	T. kleinmanni

Binomial name

Testudo kleinmanni
Lortet, 1883

The Egyptian Tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni) is a critically endangered tortiose. Once more widespread its numbers are dwindiling and still going downhill. Formely found in Egypt but now are only existent in Libya. Extinction looms unless some more conservation actions are taken.

1 Physical Description
2 Habitat & Ecology
3 Reproduction
4 Threats & Population
5 References

[edit] Physical Description

Back of the Egyptian tortoise

The shell is usaully very bright ranging from ivory and pale to gold which help reflect the sun allowing them to stay out in the heat for longer (although it can also be dark brown and dull yellow) and also works as good camouflage for their desert habitat. Scutes have dark sidings that fade with age. Bottom of the shell is light yellow with two dark triangles on the two abdominal scutes although some do not have these. Head and limbs are a very pale yellow-ivory to yellowish-brown colour. It has a high domed shell and a generally small body. In fact it is the smallest tortoise in the northern hempisphere. Females are larger than males while males are more slender with a longer tail.

[edit] Habitat & Ecology

They live in deserts and semi-desert habitats, usually with compact sand and gravel plains, scattered rocks, shallow, sandy wadis, dry woodlands, shruby areas, and coastal salt marsh habitats. Egyptian Tortoise is the most poorly understood of Mediterranean tortoises. Preferred diet is unkown in the wild. Although in captivity they eat grasses, fruits and vegetables. Most active during the warmest parts of the year and least active in the months when it is either very cold or very hot. During the colder months they are out most during mid day. When its the warm season they are active in morning and evening and the rest of the day is spent under brushes or in rodent burrows.

[edit] Reproduction

The Egyptian Tortoise becomes sexually mature at around 10-20 years of age. In the wild mating has only been observed in March, where as in captivity they mate in April and August to November. In courtship the male will ram the female and then sometimes chase her. A strange thing about mating is the call made by the male which has been described as similar to the call of the Mourning Dove. This is unlike any other Mediterranean tortoise. Eggs are laid in nests dug by the Egyptian Tortoise or occasionly under the cover of bushes or in vacant burrows. 1-5 eggs per clutch and hatch in summer or early autumn.

[edit] Threats & Population

Once found in Egypt, Libya and thought to be in Israel. But the Israel populations have been classified as a separate species (Negev Tortoise, also critically endangered), And the suitable habitat in Egypt has been severely degraded, or already completely destroyed and are now completely extinct there. Now only two populations can be found in Libya (Tripolitania and Cyrenaica). Much of its coastline habitat throughout its range has been destroyed because of human activity. It is estimated less than three generations ago there were 55,624 individuals and have decreased by 86.6% to only 7,470 individuals which 75%are mature. The current population is less than the 10,680 tortoises recorded in the illegal pet trade in the 1990s alone. Habitat loss and the illegal pet trade are huge issues facing the tortoise. They are extremely hard to care for as pets and often die soon after capture. Its population is still on the decline and there is a very real chance of extinction in less than 20 years if habitat degradation and illegal trade cannot be stopped.