Indian Star Tortoise

Quick Take

• Indian star tortoise hatchlings look nothing like their stunning parents, and the reason behind this dramatic transformation goes more than skin deep. Hatchling development explained →
• Its shell's unusual shape isn't just for looks. It actually solves a surprisingly brutal problem males face during mating season. Shell shape and self-righting →
• Despite laws banning their trade since 1972, tens of thousands of these tortoises vanish from the wild every year. Here is why the rules keep failing. Illegal trade details →
• Indian star tortoises live far longer in the wild than in captivity, which is a surprising finding given that protected pet species typically show the opposite pattern. Wild vs. captivity lifespan →

With its unique star-shaped patterns and relatively compact size, the Indian star tortoise is one of the most striking tortoises on the planet. Found in forests, grasslands, and shrublands across much of India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, the species has a high tolerance for seasonally wet or dry habitats and therefore is fairly adaptable. Unfortunately, Indian star tortoises are popular in the international exotic pet trade, and this is primarily why the species is now listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Various efforts are in place to protect these tortoises, including the Indian Wildlife Act of 1972.

5 Incredible Indian Star Tortoise Facts

• Dull Beginnings: Although adult Indian star tortoises are known for their bright, eye-catching patterns, hatchlings are born without distinctive markings. Typically, their shells, or carapaces, are entirely black or brown with rectangular yellow or orange splotches.
• Adaptable: These tortoises do best during the rainy season when they are highly active throughout the day. They also fare well during hot, dry weather, resting under vegetation during the hottest time of day. In cold climates during winter months, they can become inactive for extended periods of time.
• Sexual Dimorphism: Female Indian star tortoises are noticeably larger than males. Males have longer, thicker tails, and the underside of their shell — the plastron — is concave, while those of the females are much flatter.
• Long-Lived: Like all tortoises, Indian star tortoises have long life spans. On average, they live 30 to 80 years in the wild; in captivity, under proper care, they may live even longer, with some reaching up to 80 years.
• No Parental Care: Indian star tortoises provide no post-nesting care. The eggs are laid and then abandoned, and the hatchlings are on their own after they emerge.

History And Origin

It is difficult to find the exact geographic origin of this species because the available DNA evidence encompasses a multitude of tortoise populations. It is known that they originated in India and are part of the larger family of tortoises, Testudinidae, which contains 40 to 50 species and 11 genera. Among the earliest records found is Proganochelys, a fully-shelled turtle that lived in the late Triassic era, over 200 million years ago, though it is now considered the second oldest known turtle after the discovery of Odontochelys. The Testudinidae family most likely originated in Asia as well and did not begin to migrate to other geographic locations until the Eocene era.

Classification and Scientific Name

The scientific name for the Indian star tortoise is Geochelone elegans. This tortoise is just one of two extant members of the genus Geochelone; the other is the Burmese star tortoise, Geochelone platynota, which is native to Myanmar and is also one of the most endangered tortoises in the world.

The Indian star tortoise belongs to the class Reptilia, the order Testudines, the family Testudinidae, and the genus Geochelone.

Types Of

Although the Indian star tortoise is only one of two members of the genus Geochelone, it is considered to be part of three different geographic variants.

• Northern Indian stars
• Southern Indian stars
• Sri Lankan stars

Appearance

On average, the Indian star tortoise grows to 6 to 13 inches in length. Male Indian star tortoises attain an average length of 6 to 8 inches, while females attain an average length of 10 to 12 inches. On a size chart comparing all tortoise species, this one would be on the smaller end. The body, limbs, and tail are usually yellow to tan in color, and some dark spots and blotches may be present.

The upper shell, or carapace, of the Indian star tortoise is its most striking feature. It has an extremely convex, or rounded, shape, with the sides being almost vertical. The dorsal shields, or scutes, often form humps, creating an even more dramatic effect. The scutes can range from being nearly smooth and flat to almost pyramidal in shape. Each one features a yellowish center, which is known as an areola, and yellow or tan lines radiate out from there. This creates the distinctive star pattern that lends the tortoise its name. The background — the area below the scutes — is normally brown or black.

The shape of this tortoise’s carapace is believed to be specially adapted to help them return easily to a stable stance after being turned over. This comes in handy since males often compete with each other during mating season by trying to flip each other onto their backs. This self-righting feature ensures that Indian star tortoises aren’t left stranded after being turned over, whether accidentally or otherwise.

This tortoise has a moderate-sized head. The forehead is swollen, convex, and covered with tiny, irregular shields. The tortoise’s beak is slightly hooked.

Males Vs. Females

A high degree of sexual dimorphism is present in Indian star tortoises, making it fairly easy to tell males apart from females. The size difference is easy to spot. As noted previously, females are larger than males. They attain an average length of 10 to 12 inches while males grow to an average length of 6 to 8 inches. The plastron, or lower shell, of the female is fairly flat, while the male’s plastron is much more concave. This feature allows the male to mount the female more easily. Males also have longer, thicker tails than females.

Behavior

Indian star tortoises are placid, slow-moving creatures. Outside of the mating season, they tend to be reclusive and solitary. Like most tortoises, they are typically diurnal, meaning that they are awake during the day and asleep during the night. However, some may be considered crepuscular, meaning that they become more active during twilight.

In hot, dry weather, Indian star tortoises are usually active early in the morning and late in the afternoon. The rest of the day, they shelter beneath vegetation or in other hiding places. Their activity increases significantly during the rainy season when they are known to feed and move around throughout much of the day. During the colder, drier winter months, they tend to be less active. Tortoises in colder parts of the range, like western India and Pakistan, often become inactive for extended periods during the coldest months of the winter. Indian star tortoises have a high tolerance for habitats that go through extreme fluctuations between wet and dry weather.

Habitat

The Indian star tortoise’s primary habitats are forests, shrublands, and grasslands, and their range extends throughout most of India except for Lower Bengal and west to the Sindh province of Pakistan through to Sri Lanka. Their habitats are mostly found in semi-arid and arid regions. Their extensive range exemplifies the adaptability of this species.

Diet

Primarily herbivores, Indian star tortoises mostly eat fallen fruits, flowers, grasses, and the leaves of succulent plants. From time to time, they may opportunistically feed on carrion. Hatchlings subsist on an embryonic egg sac for the first three to seven days of life.

Predators And Threats

Thanks to its shell, into which it can withdraw when threatened, the Indian star tortoise has few natural predators in the wild. However, eggs, hatchlings, and juveniles are at greater risk of predation. Common predators include mongooses, hawks, jackals, monitor lizards, snakes, vultures, and foxes.

Humans are also known to prey on these tortoises. Locally, they are often consumed by indigenous groups. On a national and international level, however, these tortoises are not commonly consumed as food.

Although Indian star tortoises don’t have many natural predators, they are threatened on many levels by human activity. Thanks to their distinctive patterns and relatively compact size, they are popularly kept as pets. As a result, they have been extensively hunted for the international pet trade for many decades. It is estimated that 10,000 to 20,000 Indian star tortoises disappear from the wild every year. They are typically sold to middlemen who then sell them to international smugglers. From there, they are sold at markets in places like Thailand and Malaysia and shipped across the world. They can command a price of up to $150 per tortoise, so it is a lucrative business.

These tortoises are also used in traditional medicine in Malaysia and China, where they are believed to provide an excellent source of energy. They also face habitat loss as large expanses of forests and grasslands are cleared for agriculture.

For many decades, efforts have been made to protect Indian star tortoises, whose population numbers are declining. The Indian Wildlife Act of 1972 made it illegal to possess or trade these tortoises, but the law isn’t enforced well, and Indian star tortoises are easy to find for sale in pet shops across India. They are attractive to illegal smugglers because they command such a good price. Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, Appendix I of 2019, all international trade of Indian star tortoises is prohibited. Again, though, enforcing this act is challenging to enforce in practice.

Reproduction, Babies, And Lifespan

The average lifespan for Indian star tortoises in the wild is 35 to 80 years. In captivity, these tortoises live for an average of 25 years.

Indian star tortoises mate during the rainy season, which occurs from mid-June through November in southern India. During the mating season, males compete for females in displays of aggression, often attempting to flip each other onto their backs. Compared with many other tortoise species, their courtship is fairly subdued, and males rarely shove or nip at females. While copulating, males emit grunt-like sounds.

Approximately 60 to 90 days after mating, the female Indian star tortoise wanders around sniffing the ground in search of a suitable nesting site. After finding one, she urinates to soften the ground and then uses her hind legs to excavate a flask-shaped nest. The female then lays her eggs. Each year, a female Indian star tortoise may lay two clutches, and each clutch may include anywhere from two to 10 eggs. Once the eggs have been laid, the female refills the hole and flattens the earth with her plastron.

Incubation lasts 47 to 180 days, likely depending on temperature. Hatchlings lack the distinctive star markings of adults. Instead, they have black or brown carapaces with rectangular yellow or orange blotches on the scutes. They can grow rapidly for the first several months, but they are on their own from the start because no the female provides no post-nesting parental care.

Population

Precise figures are not available regarding the total world population of Indian star tortoises. However, their numbers are believed to be declining primarily due to human activity. Anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 of these tortoises disappear from the wild annually, and around 3,000 of them are recovered from the illegal pet trade through conservation efforts.

In the Zoo

Indian star tortoises are found in zoos around the world. Currently, they can be found at institutions such as Australia Zoo, the Cincinnati Zoo, and Hogle Zoo in Utah.