Red-Footed Tortoise

Status: Vulnerable.Range: From Panama through central South America.Habitat: Moist savannas and forests.Food: Grasses, fruits, succulents. Also eat carrion in the wild.Reproduction: The female digs a cavity in which to deposit her clutch of 2-15 eggs. Several clutches may be laid during the nesting season.Facts: Red-footed tortoises are named for the red spots (scales) on their front legs. Males distinguish other males from females by watching their head movements. If no responsive head movement is seen after two tortoises encounter each other, the male assumes the stranger is a female. The biggest threat to its survival in the wild is excessive hunting by humans for food and for the pet trade.