Želva uhlířská

Želva uhlířská

Description

A medium-sized tortoise with a dark, domed shell whose scutes often have a paler centre. Its most striking feature is the bright red-to-orange scales on the legs, head and tail that give the species its name. Males usually reach 30–40 cm and have a waisted, peanut-shaped shell, while females tend to be smaller and rounder.

Habitat

Humid tropical forests, forest edges and moist savannas across northern South America – from Panama through Colombia, Venezuela and the Guianas to Brazil, Bolivia and northern Argentina.

Diet

Omnivorous. It feeds mainly on fallen fruit, flowers, leaves and fungi, supplemented by invertebrates, carrion and dung. By eating fruit it helps disperse seeds through the forest.

Reproduction

After courtship, during which males make a distinctive clucking sound, the female lays 2–15 elongated eggs in a dug-out nest, often several times a year. The hatchlings emerge after about five months and are fully independent from the start.

Lifespan

Commonly lives around 50 years, and considerably longer with good care.

Did you know?

The glowing red-orange scales against its dark body look like embers, which is why Czech calls it the „charcoal-burner’s“ tortoise.