Ploughshare Tortoise
Habitat: Reptiles
The rarest and arguably the most beautiful tortoises who live at Zoo Knoxville, our four juvenile Ploughshare tortoises are some of the only ones on public view in zoos in the continental United States. Our tortoises spend their morning enjoying the sunshine. As the day gets warmer, they demonstrate their excellent camouflage as they lounge in the shade.
Did You Know?
Habitat
Bamboo Scrub
Lifespan
100+
Years
Conservation
Critically Endangered
Declining Population
Weight
25lbs
on average
Location
Baly Bay Region of Northwestern Madagascar
The beautiful exaggerated round shape of the shell is unique to this tortoise. Poaching for the pet trade has led near-extinction in the wild. Breeding efforts in human care so far have not been reliably successful outside of Madagascar. For information on how you can help these beautiful tortoises, visit turtlesurvival.org.
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