Yellow-footed tortoises at Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo currently has five yellow-footed tortoises.
Where it can be found at Edinburgh Zoo
Our yellow-footed tortoises share an enclosure with our pygmy hippopotami, just north of the Mansion House in the centre of the park.
Yellow-footed tortoises in the wild
The yellow-footed tortoise (Geochelone denticulata), also known as the Brazilian giant tortoise, is native to the rainforests of South America, with a range that stretches from Bolivia to Brazil. It is the largest tortoise species found in South America, and can be easily identified by the large yellow or orange scales on the front of its forelimbs.
The yellow-footed tortoise is omnivorous, feeding on both plant and animal matter. It eats leaves, bark, shoots, and flowers, as well as snails and insects. It also scavenges the flesh of dead animals. However, the majority of its diet, especially in the rainy season, consists of fruit.
Like many large tortoises, the yellow-footed tortoise is frequently hunted for its meat in its native habitat by humans. This species is also frequently sold into the exotic pet trade. Because of its slow reproductive rate, the pressures from hunting and trade have caused the population of yellow-footed tortoises in the wild to dwindle. Due to this population decline, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed this species as Vulnerable. This means that the yellow-footed tortoise is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
IUCN Red List category: Vulnerable
Yellow-footed tortoise photographs: Maarten Sepp
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