Yellow-footed Tortoise

Geochelone denticulata

Range: Native to south America in Panama, Columbia, Venezuela and the Guianas to eastern Brazil, south the Rio de Janeiro and west to eastern Bolivia, Paraguay and nothern Argentina. They are found in Trinidad and have been introduced to several of the Caribbean Islands.

Habitat: Dense humid forest

Longevity: 50 to 60 yeas.

Coloration: Carapaces are black with a yellowish area on each of the skutes. The plastron is rather lacking pigment. The skin is black with striking yellow markings on the head and lower jaw. Some scales on the limbs and tail are bright yellow.

Diet: Grasses, succulents, fallen fruits and carrion.

Reproduction/Gestation: Mating occurs year round in the wild, as in captivity. Nesting occurs from June to September. Females dig a flask-like cavity about 20 cm deep. Two to 15 eggs are laid in one clutch, with several clutches probably laid each season. Eggs are elongated with brittle shells. Incubation takes between four and five months. Hatchlings are rounded and flat. Sexual maturity probably occurs about eight to ten years in the wild.