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Key Points
These tortoises dig burrows in the ground where they can shelter from the harsh environment.
This is the third largest species of tortoise.
They also go by the name of the African Spurred Tortoise.
Welcome to the Sulcata Tortoise Quiz, where you can test your knowledge and learn more about one of the largest tortoise species in the world! Sulcata Tortoises are known for being very easy to care for when they are young which is why many people are attracted to this species when looking for a pet.
Take the quiz to test your knowledge of Sulcata Tortoise if you believe you know everything there is to know about them or if you simply want to learn more about these fascinating animals!
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What is the scientific name for the Sulcata Tortoise?
There are over 49 species of tortoises found all over the world that range in size from the giant, the Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises, to the tiny, the Speckled Cape tortoise. Not all are suitable as pets so if you are looking for one to call your own, make sure you do plenty of research to see which one suits your home. Here are a few more different types, starting with the largest:
Galapagos Giant – found on the Galapagos islands, this is the largest in the world but not by much
Aldabra – found on Aldabra Island, one of the Seychelles northeast of Madagascar, this is the second largest in the world
African Spurred/Sulcata – thought to be one of the friendliest out of the species
Ploughshare – one of the rarest in the world with only around 300 remaining in the wild
India Star – named for the star-shaped pattern on its shell
Hermann’s – even though this is a relatively smaller species, it requires a lot of outdoor space
Angonoka – this is thought to have less than 200 remaining in the wild, perhaps even less than 100.
The muscular system of a sulcata tortoise is incredibly strong, in fact, it is much stronger than many other land vertebrates. Without these strong muscles, they would not be able to move their heads in and out of their shells. Read on for more interesting facts!
All tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises.
The color of their shell indicated their origin – lighter shells mean they came from a warmer country.
Tortoises have been around for a very long time – over 200 million years.
Their shells have over 60 interconnected bones.
Tortoises empty their lungs before going back into their shell and can last for some time without coming out for oxygen.
They come from African savannahs and prefer the warmer weather.
These reptiles are one of the longest living although wild tortoises tend to have shorter lives due to predators, inclement weather and disease.
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What is the average temperature range for Sulcata Tortoise habitat?
Melissa Bauernfeind was born in NYC and got her degree in Journalism from Boston University. She lived in San Diego for 10 years and is now back in NYC. She loves adventure and traveling the world with her husband but always misses her favorite little man, "P", half Chihuahua/half Jack Russell, all trouble. She got dive-certified so she could dive with the Great White Sharks someday and is hoping to swim with the Orcas as well.