Land turtles are old-timers of planet Earth. There are 37 types of them. All of them are somewhat similar to each other, but there are very interesting species that have unique external data or other qualities.
Instructions
Step 1
In total, there are 37 species of land turtles. 20 of them can be seen in Africa. Most often, land turtles live in open spaces. They can be found in deserts and semi-deserts, savannas and steppes. Land turtles mainly eat plant foods, sometimes they can feed on small animals. The peculiarity of land turtles is that they may not eat for a very long time. They are also characterized by the fact that in the presence of succulent grass, they can do without water.
Step 2
The Galapagos tortoise is the most famous of the land tortoises. It is also called elephant. This name is due to its size. An adult animal has a length of 1.5 m and a height of 0.5 m. The weight of such a turtle ranges from 150 to 400 kg. Males are rather larger than females. The life span of Galapagos tortoises can be over 400 years. You can see such a turtle in the Galapagos Islands.
Step 3
The Mediterranean turtle measures 25-28 cm. You can see such a turtle not only in the Mediterranean, but also in the Caucasus, Iran, Azerbaijan, Iraq and Georgia. Mediterranean turtles hibernate in winter, and, waking up in March, they begin mating games.
Step 4
The coal or red-footed turtle lives in the countries of South America. It is of medium size, about 55 cm long. The animal is omnivorous, they are sometimes kept in captivity. At the same time, they calmly eat various fruits, they can eat chicken and lean meat. Some feed coal turtles with dog and cat food.
Step 5
The leopard tortoise is another of the captive land turtles. Its habitats are deserts and semi-deserts, plains and mountainous areas. Leopard turtles feed only on plant foods - aloe, thistle, prickly pear, and more. In captivity, they are fed only lawn grass. In no case should you include juicy vegetables and fruits in their diet. This can disrupt the digestive tract.
Step 6
The radiant turtle is one of the most amazing turtles out there. You can meet her on the island of Madagascar. It is rather large - 40 cm long and weighs about 15 kg. This species of turtles was threatened with extinction, but in 1979 they began to breed radiant turtles in captivity.
Step 7
The Central Asian tortoise is unique in its shell. On the sides of the carapace there are 25 scutes on which grooves can be seen. Their number indicates the exact age of the owner of the shell. Central Asian turtles live in Afghanistan, India, Iran, Pakistan. You can also find it in Russia in the North-East of the Caspian Sea.
Step 8
The panther turtle is a happy large representative of the land turtles. Its weight varies in the region of 45-50 kg. The length can be 70 cm. The color of the shell of the panther turtle has a dull yellow tint. And the turtle itself has a reddish or orange hue. They feed mainly on animal food. Sometimes fruits and plants may be included in their diet.
Step 9
The Indian star turtle is mainly found in India and Sri Lanka. Its peculiarity lies in the shell. It is not ordinary, like most turtles, but has rays. The pattern of the carapace resembles a star. Females are larger than males, the maximum size is 25 cm. In males, the length does not exceed 15 cm.
Step 10
The Egyptian tortoise is one of the smallest land turtles. The maximum installed length is 12.7 cm. Outwardly, it looks like a Mediterranean tortoise. Differences are only in the location of the spots and the absence of growths. You can meet such a turtle in the Mediterranean Sea between Israel and Libya.
