Horsfield’s Tortoise

The Horsfield's Tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii) was discovered and named after the American Physician and naturalist Thomas Horsfield in the early 19th century. The species has a tanned, brown body colour and a dark brown/black shell, known as a carapace, with a pale-yellow colour between the scutes. The variation and intensity of these colours can vary between tortoises. The Horsfield's Tortoises natural habitat ranges from lush meadows, to grassland and forests. With four claws on each limb, which they walk on, the Horsfield's are very efficient at maneouvuring around their natural habitat and use the claws for foraging and digging. A very social species, they tend to enjoy social interaction.