Reptiles
Spur-thighed Tortoise
Testudo graeca · also called Greek tortoise
On a sunny hillside in Morocco, a spur-thighed tortoise ambles through the wild flowers, its domed shell patterned in yellow and black.
Overview
The spur-thighed tortoise, Testudo graeca, is a Vulnerable tortoise of dry scrub, grassland, and open woodland around the Mediterranean, in North Africa, southern Europe, and the Middle East. Its spurred thighs, domed shell, and long life make it one of the best-known Mediterranean tortoises, but it is declining.
A tortoise under pressure
Wild populations have been reduced by habitat loss, fires, and collection for the pet trade, which has long taken large numbers from the wild.
Status
Vulnerable, with a declining population.
Spur-thighed Tortoise: common questions
Why is it called the spur-thighed tortoise?
It is named for the pair of conical spurs on the back of its thighs.
Is the Greek tortoise endangered?
It is listed as Vulnerable because it has declined through habitat loss, fires, and collection for the pet trade.
What does the spur-thighed tortoise eat?
It grazes on grasses, flowers, and low-growing plants, with the occasional snail or carrion.
Where is the spur-thighed tortoise found?
It lives in dry scrub, grassland, and open woodland around the Mediterranean, in North Africa, southern Europe, and the Middle East.