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Indian Star Tortoise

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Burmese Star Tortoise

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Other Starred Tortoises

• Starred tortoises
• Radiated tortoise

Angulate Tortoise

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Misc. Pages

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Have Burmese Star tortoise photos to share for this page? Email me.

Radiated Tortoise

Astrochelys (Geochelone) radiata

photo by Am Wu Photography

Radiated tortoise quick facts

Name

• Astrochelys radiata
• Geochelone radiata
• Strahlenschildkröte - German
• Stralenschildpad - Dutch
• Strålsköldpadda - Swedish
• Sädekilpikonna - Finnish
• Tortuga estrellada de Madagascar - Spanish
• Tortue étoilée de Madagascar - French

Origin

• native to Madagascar, a large island east of Africa

Size

• up to 16 inches (40 cm)
• up to 35 lbs (16 kg)
• typical female size 9.5 - 14 inches (24.2 - 35.6 cm)
• typical male size 11-15.5 inches (28.5 - 39.5 cm)
• largest of the starred tortoises

Color & pattern

• high-domed carapace
• black shell with yellow, finely detailed, intricate patterns
• legs, feet and head are yellow
• a dark patch on the top of the head

Habitat

• dry thorn forests, thorny brush, tall grasses, woodlands
• dry regions with seasonal heavy rain

Diet & Care

• primarily herbivorous
• feeds on grasses and succulents (e.g. Opuntia cactus)
• hardy species
• highly prone to pyramiding
• does not hibernate

Conservation

• CITES I
• critically endangered species
• threatened by widespread habitat destruction, international pet trade, and consumption as food

Links

• Animal Diversity - University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Geochelone radiata
• Arkive - Radiated tortoise, Geochelone radiata
• Blue Cameleon - Madagascar tortoise tour
• CTTC - A Review of the Captive Breeding Program for the Radiated Tortoise at the NYZS's Wildlife Survival Center, by John L. Behler & John Iaderosa, 1991
• Info Tortuga - Astrochelys radiata, in Spanish
• IUCN Red List - Astrochelys radiata, critically endangered, 2008 list
• JCVI - taxonomy
• WCT - caresheet, by Chris Tabaka DVM & Darrell Senneke

Photos

Radiated tortoise, photo by Joe McDaniel

Roger Williams Park Zoo, photo by Alex1961 (cc)

photo by Julia Klarman (cc)

photo by lightmatter (cc)

Perth Zoo, Australia, photo by Paul Morris (cc)

Perth Zoo, Australia, photo by Paul Morris (cc)

photo by Olivier Lejade (cc)

Male and female, photo by Olivier Lejade (cc)