Reptiles
Elongated Tortoise
Indotestudo elongata · also called yellow tortoise
On a damp forest floor in Thailand after rain, an elongated tortoise noses through the leaf litter and stops to eat a mushroom, its yellow shell bright against the dark soil.
Overview
The elongated tortoise, Indotestudo elongata, is a Critically Endangered tortoise of tropical forest, bamboo, and scrub from northeastern India and Nepal through Southeast Asia to southern China. Its long, low shell, mushroom-eating habit, and heavy harvest for food make it one of Asia’s most threatened tortoises.
A tortoise that hunts fungi
Unlike most tortoises, which graze mainly on plants, the elongated tortoise also eats mushrooms, snails, and even carrion, a wide diet that suits its forest home.
Status
Critically Endangered, with a declining population.
Elongated Tortoise: common questions
Why is it called the elongated tortoise?
It is named for its long, low shell, which is flatter and longer than the high-domed shells of many other tortoises.
Does the elongated tortoise eat mushrooms?
Yes, it is unusual among tortoises in eating mushrooms, which it seeks out on the forest floor.
Why is it Critically Endangered?
It is collected in very large numbers for food, traditional medicine, and the pet trade, and its forests are being cleared.
Where is the elongated tortoise found?
It lives in tropical forest, bamboo, and scrub from northeastern India and Nepal through Myanmar, Thailand, and Indochina to southern China.