Red-footed tortoise
Chelonoidis carbonaria
The footed tortoise ( Chelonoidis carbonaria ) is a living in tropical South America Landschildkrötenart the genus Chelonoidis (formerly and still sometimes found in the literature in Geochelone ) from the family of tortoises ( Testudinidae ).
Features
The footed tortoise is a relatively large species of turtle, they can grow up to 50 cm tall and 20 kg. The base color of the high-vaulted in adult specimens carapace, the limbs, the head and the neck is black. Striking, however, are the yellow, orange or sometimes red horn scales on the front and sometimes the rear limbs. A similar spot drawing is also located on the head, individually different in the form of single spots or flat color. The plastron is sometimes monochrome yellow, sometimes yellow with black or dark brown and more irregular spot drawing. The individual shields ( areoles ) of the carapace have striking yellow centers. The long legs and the stilt -like transition are characteristic of the footed tortoise and allow it to travel on marshy steppes and in deciduous forests.
Occurrence
The home of the Red-footed Tortoise is the tropical South America, where their distribution is divided into a northern and a southern zone. In the north they are found between Panama and northern Brazil, south of the southern parts of Brazil through Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay to Argentina. It is represented by the tropical over the subtropical zones in the south to 25 degrees latitude. There is a regular exchange between hot summers and dry winters. Köhler turtles are native to the tropical rain forest but also in savannas. In this wide area of distribution, the footed tortoise distinguished quite clearly in size and coloring. Populations with only about 20 cm carapace length reaching specimens living in Argentina. In contrast, the largest individuals from Brazil are known.
Way of life
Very little is known about the life in nature. Köhler turtles live in the dry plains, in grasslands and adjacent thereto forest regions. Sometimes you can find footed tortoise in open areas of humid rain forests. The food consists largely of plant foods but also from carrion. The breeding season usually begins with the onset of the rainy season. The female lays 6-10 eggs in a self- dug, only about 10 cm deep nest. After an average of 5 months hatch the young turtles. Due to the progressive habitat destruction all tortoises of South America are considered threatened with extinction (IUCN Vulnerable status ). Your trading is the Washington Convention regulated (WA, Annex II).
Reproduction
The breeding season begins with the onset of the rainy season. The courtship is a ritual: male circling the female reproductive prepare and bite them again and again in the legs. The cloacal region of the female, is in this case smelled intensely. Finally, the male head positioned in front of the females and weighs his head back and forth before it comes to mating. The females dig a later eight to twelve inches wide Nistgrube. The nest is usually from six to ten eggs. The incubation period depends on the ambient temperature and humidity and is between 100 and 150 days.
Relevance to humans
In their home -footed tortoise are caught for their meat. As a terrarium this type does not matter. However, it is successfully maintained and propagated by a few specialists and in some zoos.