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Radiated tortoise
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The radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) is a species in the genus of the Astrochelys tortoises. It is fairly large and considered to be one of the most beautiful tortoises in the world.Although this species is native only to Southern Madagascar and mostly only found there, it can be found in the rest of this country and has been introduced to the islands of Réunion and Mauritius.As the Radiated Tortoises are herbivores, grazing constitutes 80-90% of their diet, while they also eat fruits and succulent plants.These tortoises are, however, endangered, mainly because of the destruction of their habitat by humans and because of poaching.
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The oldest tortoise ever recorded, indeed the oldest reptile ever recorded, was a radiated tortoise, Tu'i Malila, which attained the age of 188.
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Males first mate upon attaining lengths of about 12 inches (31 cm); females may need to be a few inches longer. The male begins this fairly noisy procedure by bobbing his head and smelling the female's hind legs and cloaca. In some cases the male may lift the female up with the front edge of his shell to keep her from moving away.
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The male then proceeds to mount the female from the rear while striking the anal region of his plastron against the female’s carapace. Hissing and grunting by the male during mating is common. This is a very dangerous proceedure and there have been recorded cases where the female's shell has cracked and pierced the vaginal and anal cavities. Females lay from three to 12 eggs in a pre-excavated hole six to eight inches (15 to 20 cm) deep and then depart.
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Incubation is quite long in this species, lasting usually between five and eight months. Juveniles are between 1.25 to 1.6 inches (3.2 to 4 cm) upon hatching. Unlike the yellow coloration of the adults, the juveniles are a white to an off-white shade. Juveniles attain the high-domed carapace soon after hatching.
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Radiated tortoises may live as long as 40 to 50 years.
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