Asian Brown Tortoise (Manouria Emys)
Conservation status
IUCN: Red List: Critically Endangered
Key Descriptions
The Asian Brown Tortoise is one of the oldest tortoises in the world, having evolved very little over millions of years. They mainly dwell in forests throughout Asia, including India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand & Vietnam. The species is known to be mainly vegetarian, foraging on grass, fruits & other low lying vegetation while occasionally feasting on protein. They are also known as the 6-footed tortoise due to the hinds they have behind their back legs that make it look like an extra pair of legs!
Habitat
The Asian Brown Tortoise mainly resides in the tropical rainforests of Asia where humidity is high due to regular rainfall & the monsoon seasons. Their habitat commonly involves a body of water in which the tortoise can regularly be found soaking itself in when it is not soaking in the rays of the sun which filter through the canopy of the tropical forests it resides in.
Social Life
Communication among Asian Brown Tortoise normally involves head bobbing displays & the occasional growling between members of the species. While they have been observed to be social at times, the mating season often involves shoving among males as they demonstrate their courting ritual to suitable females. On a typical day, Asian Brown Tortoise regularly rises early to soak in the rays of the morning sun before moving on to graze on the low lying plants in its surroundings. Females have also been noted to rely on their environment to craft intricate nests to lay their eggs & have been found to exhibit ferocious defensive displays towards potential predators which threaten their nests.
Fun Facts
- This is the largest tortoise species on the Asian continent and quite possibly the oldest tortoise species in the world, having changed very little over millions of years.
- The species is most active during twilight, or during the day if the temperature is not too high.
- Males engage in vocal disputes and shoving matches to discourage rivals from courting nearby females.
- Brown Tortoises, provided they have enough personal space, are sociable and often interact through head-bobbing displays, and growls. Like all reptiles, they enjoy basking in natural sunlight to warm up, especially in the mornings. To cool off, they seek shade or a mud wallow. Some will even dig burrows.
- Females have been observed building above-ground mound nests—a unique trait among tortoises. They are also dutiful mothers that gather fresh nest material to build up the mounds until their strict standards have been met. Afterwards, females will continue to monitor the nest for temperature and make modifications as needed. They will also defend their nests for up to 20 days, even from larger predators. When approached, mothers will elevate themselves off the ground and hiss a warning. If the warning is not headed, biting and shoving ensue.
- The Asian Brown Tortoise can lay up to 51 eggs a a time, which is more than most tortoise species. Eggs incubate for 66-71 days, which is shorter than most tortoises. The young hatch with their yolk sacs almost completely absorbed. Hatchlings can range from dull brown to black.
Diet
Fruits & Vegetables
Key Information
| Origin: | Southeast Asia |
| Size: | Up to 60cm |
| Weight: | Up to 39kg |
| Lifespan: | More then 100years |