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Radiated Tortoise
Status: Vulnerable (likely to become endangered if threats continue)
Range and Habitat: Arid southwestern part of Madagascar; dry deciduous forest, thorn bush
Radiated tortoises may reach a size of 15 inches (38 cm) and 29 pounds (13 kg).
They eat leaves, fruit, and other vegetation. In the wild, the female lays a small clutch of eggs once a year.
Although protected by legislation and international conventions, radiated
tortoises are a prime target for the illegal pet trade. Their shells are valued as
ornaments, and there is a trade in their meat in some parts of Madagascar.
The dry deciduous forests of western and southern Madagascar are prime habitat for the
radiated tortoise. In some areas, this habitat is being severely degraded by fire and agricultural activities. Among the distinctive plants of the southwest are endemic baobabs (the large trees in the photograph) and the cactus-like Didiera (the living plants seen in rear of the tortoise enclosure).
The Species Survival Plan for radiated tortoises is administered by
the Wildlife Conservation Park/Bronx Zoo. Since 1981, the Zoo's tortoise breeding
center on St. Catherines Island, Georgia, has overseen nearly 300 successful hatchings.
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