Editorial archive

Tortoise species

An atlas exploring the origins, appearance and habitats of tortoises. Start with species found in Italy and Sardinia, then explore other regions of the world: different origins mean different needs.

A journey closer to home

Italy and Sardinia: three species, different histories

Hermann’s, Greek and marginated tortoises live in the wild in Sardinia: these are the three terrestrial species of the genus Testudo documented on the island. They are not all native: ISPRA traces the Italian presence of Greek and marginated tortoises to ancient introductions. Sardinian Forestry Corps ISPRA

A species may live freely today and still have a history of introduction. An animal bred in Italy, however, does not thereby become part of Italian wildlife. Local names do not automatically increase the number of species.

Across the Mediterranean: discover the Egyptian tortoise → It is not part of Italy’s wild fauna.

Encyclopaedia

Hermann’s tortoise

Testudo hermanni · Mediterranean Europe

Encyclopaedia

Marginated tortoise

Testudo marginata · Greece and Albania; historical introductions to Sardinia

Generated editorial illustration

Encyclopaedia

Greek tortoise

Testudo graeca · North Africa, the Mediterranean and western Asia

Generated editorial illustration

Encyclopaedia

Russian tortoise

Testudo horsfieldii · Central Asia

Generated editorial illustration

Encyclopaedia

African spurred tortoise

Centrochelys sulcata · Africa’s Sahel belt; reports from the southern Arabian Peninsula

Photo: ShajiA — African Spur Thigh Tortoise (Wikimedia Commons) · Public domain. Web copy resized and compressed, without cropping or retouching.

Encyclopaedia

Leopard tortoise

Stigmochelys pardalis · Eastern and southern sub-Saharan Africa

Photo: DeadEye Dave — African Leopard Tortoise (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 3.0. Web copy resized and compressed, without cropping or retouching.

Encyclopaedia

Red-footed tortoise

Chelonoidis carbonarius · South America; also found on some Caribbean islands

Photo: Vincent A. Vos — Chelonoides carbonarius Bolivia (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0. Web copy resized and compressed, without cropping or retouching.

Encyclopaedia

Yellow-footed tortoise

Chelonoidis denticulatus · South American tropical forests, particularly the Amazon region

Photo: Erfil — Chelonoidis denticulata Peru 03 (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 3.0. Web copy resized and compressed, without cropping or retouching.

Encyclopaedia

Radiated tortoise

Astrochelys radiata · Southern and south-western Madagascar

Photo: Bernard DUPONT — Radiated Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) (9583610710) (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 2.0. Web copy resized and compressed, without cropping or retouching.

Encyclopaedia

Aldabra giant tortoise

Aldabrachelys gigantea · Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, Indian Ocean

Photo: William Crochot — Aldabrachelys gigantea (Tortue géante des Seychelles) - 380 (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0. Web copy resized and compressed, without cropping or retouching.

Encyclopaedia

Egyptian tortoise

Testudo kleinmanni · Mediterranean coastal belt of Libya, Egypt and the western Negev

Photo: Thomas Leuteritz/USFWS — Egyptian Tortoise (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) · Public domain. Web copy resized and compressed, without cropping or retouching.