Radiated Tortoise

Astrochelys radiata

Shell is a geometric masterpiece, each scute radiating bright yellow lines on black.

Population: No reliable current wild count; historically abundant but in steep, ongoing decline from poaching for meat and the illegal pet trade
Habitat: Dry spiny thicket, brush, and thorn forest/woodland in arid southern Madagascar
Fun fact: Named for the fine yellow lines radiating from each dark plate of its domed shell, the radiated tortoise is one of the longest-lived vertebrates on Earth, with one captive individual (Tu'i Malila, gifted to Tonga's royal family in 1777) reputed to have lived roughly 188 years.
Range: Endemic to extreme southern and southwestern Madagascar; introduced populations established on Réunion and Mauritius
Diet: Herbivorous grazer — grasses and succulents make up roughly 80-90% of the diet, supplemented with fruit; shows a strong preference for Opuntia prickly-pear cactus
Size: 0.38 m
Lifespan: 100 years

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