Red-footed Tortoise

Chelonoidis carbonaira
Range: They are found throughout extreme
southern Central America and central and
northern South America. They have been
introduced to some islands in the West Indies as
well.

Habitat: Red-footed tortoises live in all types of

forest habitats including rainforests, temperate
forests, and dry thorn forests. They can also live in
savanna areas including man-made grasslands
resulting from ranching and slash and burn agricultural practices. Forest edges and savannas
seem to be the preferred habitat for this species.

Diet: Red-footed tortoises, in the wild, are primarily herbivores but are known to eat some
carrion.

Lifespan: Red-footed tortoises can live up to 50 years.

Description: They have red scales on their limbs, as well as red, yellow, and/or orange
facial markings. They will normally reach between 10 and 14 inches in carapace length,
although in rare cases may grow up to 16 inches. Red-footed males are larger than females in
carapace length and weight, but are not wider or taller. Males can easily reach 20 lbs. or
more, while females weigh a bit less. As with other tortoise species, male red-footed tortoises
have a concave plastron.

Breeding: In the wild, they lay clutches of 5-15 eggs between July and September. They are
generally buried in a nest underground. However, some authors report that locals in Panama
have observed eggs laid in leaf-litter on the forest floor. Eggs are oblong (about 2” x 1.5”) and
have brittle shells. The hatchlings are round and flat and are about 1.5” in diameter. In
captivity, red-footed tortoises are capable of producing eggs at any time during the year,
although seasonal activity may be noted.

Behavior/Adaptations: This tortoise is responsive, outgoing and curious. They like to

congregate in large groups in the wild.

Predators: Humans; hunting, eating the eggs, pet trade and destruction of their habitat.

Conservation: Not listed.

Interesting Facts:
• They can get a disease called shell rot or pyramiding.
• Fossils of this species from the Pleistocene period (about 1 million years ago) were
discovered on the island of Anguilla in the Lesser Antilles (near Puerto Rico). This
suggests that at one time, the range of the red-footed tortoise was much larger than it
is today.
 • To help identify each other, males and females use head movements as signals.

Empathy Stories and Messages

Red-footed tortoises are social and live in groups. Since they cannot wave to greet each
other like people do, they will bob their heads back and forth. Can you bob your head
back and forth like a red-footed tortoise?

Red-footed tortoises are found throughout South America. Native people in South
America tell stories of the red-footed tortoise (Jabuti) outsmarting other animals. This
is called a trickster animal. In native North American cultures, the trickster animals
are the coyote, spider, and raven. Have you ever read the tortoise and the hare? In
South America, the story is about the Jabuti and the Jaguar!

Lake Superior Zoo Conservation Message

Story (ages 6 and up): Reptiles are difficult for most people to keep as pets. Many reptiles
are given away or improperly cared for and can die as a result.
What you can do: Tortoises are amazing animals that require special care. Be sure you do a
lot of research before deciding to own a tortoise or any other reptile. Make sure any pet you
buy is one that is born is captivity and not taken out of the wild.

Story (ages 9 and up): Red-footed tortoises are from the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon
rainforest is being threatened by habitat loss and climate change.
What you can do: Many of the products we use in our everyday life come from the
rainforest. By looking for items like coffee and bananas with the rainforest alliance logo or
the sustainable palm oil logo, you know you are buying items that are harvested in a way that
is safe for the rainforest and the animals that live there.

Story (ages 6 and up): One of the major threats to parrots is the loss of their habitat due to
deforestation, mining, and farming.
What you can do: By reducing the number of items we buy, re-using items if we have a
chance to re-use them, and recycling as much as we can, the destruction of habitats will
decrease.

Information taken from the following sources:

http://www.zoo.org/animal-facts/redfootedtortoise
http://lincolnzoo.vipasuite.com/animals/reptiles/tortoise_redfooted
https://www.zoo.org/page.aspx?pid=1948#.WH03s9IrIdU
https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/red-footed-tortoise