Range: Tropical South America, Brazil and surrounding Rain forests.

Habitat: Forested Regions, will tolerate some human alterations of habitat for farming etc.

Natural Diet: Primarily Vegetarian, will consume protein in the form of carrion or invertebrates when available.

Diet at Rain Forest: Vegetarian mix, powdered vitamins and occasional meat supplements.

Size: 12-18" Carapace, males substantially smaller than females.

RainForest Facts: The red-footed tortoise actually has quite and extensive range and can be found throughout the extreme southern end of Central America, and central and northern South America.  This tortoise species call the  countries of Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, French Guyana, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina home.

In addition to what is believed to be the tortoises historical natural range, Red-foots can also be found on several Caribbean islands.  Various theories concerning the animals presence on the islands exist.  Among them is "rafting" or riding over to the islands on rafts of vegetation pushed out to sea by storms etc.  and the likely culprit man.  It is possible that early explorers simply brought this species along as a portable source of food, with a few escaping the dinner plate and beginning the process of establishing populations. In every country in its range, the biggest threat to the survival of red-footed tortoises is over hunting by man, both for the pet trade and human consumption. 

Red-footed tortoises are hunted extensively in their various countries of origin as a source of protein for the native peoples.  One amazing fact that is leading to a substantial decline in populations is the fact that the Catholic church considers this animal to be "fish".  As a result during holy week, red-foots are consumed in unsustainable numbers.

Like many of the turtles and tortoises of the world, Red-foots are collected in large numbers and shipped to both Asian and South American destinations to be sold as a delicacy. The fact that red-foots can tolerate long periods of time without food and water, an otherwise evolutionary advantage, makes this species both easy and profitable to transport. Another treat facing red-foot populations is the omnipresent habitat loss and disturbance.

It is inevitable that this and other species of tortoises can live on land that has been converted to agriculture it is also probable in most cases that the population densities will be reduced significantly for several reasons vs. an unaltered habitat.  Tortoises living on altered habitats, primarily crop land, are much easier to locate, so higher hunting rates may account for this difference.  This is true for both natural predators as well as man hunting for food or pet trade.

Exportation for the pet trade also has a negative effect on red-footed tortoises, although it is much less of a threat to their survival than either hunting or habitat loss. The natural history of the red-footed tortoise provides insight into two areas, the susceptibility of this species to over hunting and habitat loss, and captive husbandry and reproduction.

Red-footed tortoises are a medium sized species. Red-foot males are larger than females in carapace length and weight, but are not wider or taller.  As with other tortoise species, male red-foots have a concave plastron. As red-foots mature, both sexes develop a unique mid-body constriction (some have referred to it as a "waist") that, from a top view, gives the tortoises a decidedly hourglass appearance. This "hourglass" figure is much more developed in males than in females. Mature males also have longer and wider tails than females.

Red-footed tortoises undergo an ontogenetic color change. Juveniles have a carapace with a pale yellow or horn ground color, with increasing dark brown or black patches as the animal matures. Adults have a carapace with a dark brown or blackish brown ground color with pale yellow aureole in the center of each lateral and center scute. Enlarged scales on the legs and tail vary from yellow to dark cherry red, the brightest colors are generally seen on adult males. Enlarged scales on the head range from pale yellow to bright red. There is considerable variation in color over the range of the red-foot tortoise, so no one description will accurately describe every specimen.

Although red-foots are commonly found in relatively dry grassland and forest areas, this species is also found in humid forest habitat. There is some disagreement as to which habitat is the preferred type. Walker states that red-foots prefer grasslands and dry forest areas, and that rain-forest habitat is most likely marginal. Other authors however, state or suggest that humid forest is the preferred habitat. In the wild, red-foots are reported as being primarily herbivorous, but also consuming a small amount of animal matter such as carrion.  As is the case with many species of reptile and amphibian this species is most active after the rainy season when mating occurs.   The timing of the mating allows for maximum probability the eggs will hatch and the off spring will have the most opportune weather conditions to survive the first season.

Male red-foot tortoises engage in combat, with rival males will attempting to overturn one another. It is interesting to note than in almost every tortoise species where male combat occurs, the males are always larger than the females. This is in comparison to aquatic species, where the males are usually smaller than the females and do not engage in male to male combat. It is thought that species with male combat evolved larger males because larger males have a better chance of winning a bout and mating with a female, thus passing on their larger size to their offspring. Species with smaller males evolved because smaller males are more mobile and can mate with a large number of females, thus passing on their genes (Berry and Shine, 1980). In natural habitat, mating takes place after the rainy season, from July to September, and clutches vary from 5-15 eggs. Red-footed tortoises, and many other tortoise species, are slow to mature and do not reach sexual maturity for several years. This, coupled with a relatively low clutch size, makes the red-footed tortoise susceptible to over hunting. With over hunting, more sexually mature animals are removed from the population than can be replaced by maturing juveniles, consequently, the overall population begins to decline. Although the red-footed tortoise is not currently classified as endangered, if the hunting rate and habitat loss continue at their current levels, it will most likely be so in the future. Conservation efforts include the establishment and protection of wildlife reserves and national parks, where red-footed tortoises and other animals are protected from hunting (Walker, 1989

Status in Wild: Numbers are stable in parts of range while declining rapidly in areas of human encroachment.  This species is still consumed in large numbers by native peoples of the Amazon.

Destruction of the animals habitat is leading cause of decline in developing areas. 

RainForest Adventures zoo, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge TN