African Spurred Tortoise

Centrochelys sulcata (also called Geochelone sulcata)

The largest mainland African tortoise, a burrowing plant-eater of the dry lands south of the Sahara, also called the sulcata tortoise.

🐢 Turtles and Tortoises

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About the African Spurred Tortoise

African spurred tortoises live along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, from Senegal and Mauritania east through Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan and Ethiopia. They are the largest tortoises on mainland Africa; only Galapagos tortoises are larger. They eat plants, especially juicy ones that give them much of their water, and retreat to burrows when it gets too hot.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Centrochelys sulcata (also called Geochelone sulcata)^[1][2]
Weight: 36 to 50 kg (79 to 110 pounds).^[1]
Lifespan: About 54 years on average in captivity.^[1]
Diet: Herbivore. Mostly succulent plants, which also give it water.^[1]
Habitat: Hot, dry Sahel desert edges and savanna.^[1]
Where it lives: The southern edge of the Sahara, from Senegal and Mauritania east to Sudan and Ethiopia.^[1]
Babies: 15 to 30 or more eggs, which take about eight months to hatch. Hatchlings are 4 to 6 cm long.^[1]
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN Red List, assessed 2020).^[2]

Fun facts

It is the largest tortoise on mainland Africa. Only Galapagos tortoises are larger.^[1]
It has big spurs on its back legs, but scientists don't know what they are for.^[1]
Its eggs take about eight months to hatch.^[1]

Vocabulary

tortoise: A turtle that lives on land.
spur: A sharp, bony point that sticks out from an animal's leg.
burrow: A hole or tunnel dug in the ground by an animal.
Sahel: A dry strip of land in Africa along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert.
succulent: A plant with thick, juicy leaves that store water.

See it in person

Montgomery ZooMontgomery, Alabama · South AmericaSee this area on the zoo's website ↗
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and AquariumOmaha, Nebraska · Hubbard Gorilla ValleySee this area on the zoo's website ↗
Oakland ZooOakland, California · Children's ZooSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. “Geochelone sulcata (African spurred tortoise).” https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Geochelone_sulcata/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Centrochelys sulcata (African Spurred Tortoise).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/163423/1006958 (accessed 2026-10-02)