Coal Burning Turtle

"The shell has annual rings on the underside, just like a tree. By counting them, you know how old the turtle is!"

Discover in real life
Coal burner turtleChelonoidis carbonarius

  • Habitat

    Forest areas, tropical rainforest and savanna

  • Food

    Fruit, flowers, sand, fungi and leaves

  • Lifetime

    40 - 50 years old

  • Weight

    4 - 10 kilos

  • Number of eggs

    2 - 15

  • Incubation time

    4 - 5 months

  • IUCN status

    Not researched

  • EEP

    No

  • 10

    kilograms, that's how heavy the coal-burning turtle can get

  • 50

    years, that's how old a coal-burner tortoise can get

  • 15

    eggs the female lays a maximum at a time

    • Safe underground

    The female coal-burner turtle digs a hole in the ground to lay her eggs. When the eggs are laid, she seals the hole with sand and leaves. Then the female leaves. So no one takes care of the eggs. When the young hatch, they dig their way up by themselves.

    Sumo wrestling

    As is often the case with animal species, male coal-burner turtles fight over females. The one who gets his opponent rolled on his back has won and gets the female. If a turtle lies on its back it is not a big deal, usually they get back up on their own.

    Want to know more about IUCN status or the EEP? Click here.