A tortoise with a textured, brown shell and yellow markings on its legs walking on a forest floor covered with dry leaves. At Paignton Zoo in Devon, UK

Yellow-footed Tortoise

Paignton Zoo is home to one yellow-footed tortoise, who shares a habitat with our three red-footed tortoises in Tropical Trails.

Yellow-footed TortoiseChelonoidis denticulata

Class:
Reptilia
Order:
Testudines
Family:
Testudinidae

About the yellow-footed tortoise

The yellow-footed tortoise is a large rainforest tortoise native to northern South America. Growing to 35–45 centimetres in carapace length and weighing up to 15 kilograms, it has a dark brown domed shell and distinctive yellow scales on its legs and head.

This species inhabits tropical rainforest, where it forages for fallen fruit, leaves and fungi. Although mostly solitary, individuals may gather where food is abundant. In the wild, yellow-footed tortoises can live for several decades.

Conservation

The species is currently listed as Vulnerable, with hunting and habitat loss across the Amazon and Guianas region placing pressure on wild populations.