Hermann's Tortoise

The Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo hermanni) is a species of land tortoise native to the Mediterranean region, ranging from Spain to Turkey. It is a terrestrial tortoise that prefers to live in dry, rocky habitats such as scrublands and shrub areas.

Distribution of the Mediterranean tortoise

The Mediterranean tortoise is found in southern Italy, southeastern France, and northwestern Spain. It is also present on the islands of Corsica, Sicily, Sardinia, Mallorca, and Menorca.

Characteristics of the Mediterranean tortoise

In the past, it was divided into two subspecies, the western and the eastern. From a phylogenetic point of view, it is very similar to the Horsfield's tortoise. This tortoise can hybridize with the Horsfield's tortoise (Agrionemys horsfieldii), as has been observed in captivity due to their close taxonomic relationship. The Horsfield's tortoise is more specialized in digging.

It has a tail claw that is more developed in males. It also has two black bands on the plastron. The carapace is domed and there are no spurs behind the thighs. The head is marked with a yellow spot below and behind the tympanum.

The legs are grayish, marked with yellow. Males can look very different depending on the region.

Habits of the Mediterranean tortoise

The Mediterranean tortoise lives in garrigue, maquis, and open woodlands of the Mediterranean area. It likes semi-open environments where it can find shade and hide for hibernation. Its hibernation ends in late February and it mates immediately afterwards.

Hibernation in Provence begins in mid-November; the tortoise hides under a pile of leaves, in a burrow dug under a bush, or beneath old rotting boards. There it will spend the three winter months and reappear at the end of February or early March, although there are significant individual differences. Some animals enter hibernation late and come out several times during the winter, while others hide at the end of October and do not emerge until late March. Studies on thermoregulation have made it possible to estimate the minimum and maximum temperatures this species can withstand at the level of internal organs: a minimum of 4°C and a maximum of 35°C. Below or above these figures, the temperatures are lethal.

How long does the Mediterranean tortoise live?

The longevity or life expectancy of this species in its natural environment is around 30 years, but many individuals can live up to 60 years and some even reach 100 years old.

How big is the Mediterranean tortoise?

They can grow up to 19 centimeters in length and weigh around 3 kilograms. Female tortoises, depending on the region, can reach up to 25 cm.

What does the Mediterranean tortoise eat?

The diet of this species is about 90% herbivorous. They enjoy clover, dandelion, strawberry tree, yellow and white flowers, various plants and herbs from the maquis; occasionally, they eat worms, snails, and even dead animals they find (lizards, baby rabbits, or amphibians).

In captivity, we can feed the Mediterranean tortoise with salad, using two or three ingredients from the following: leafy greens, either whole or cut into large pieces so the tortoises can bite and tear them themselves (various lettuces, cabbage, red cabbage, endive, lamb's lettuce, watercress, among others), large pieces of vegetables (broccoli, zucchini, pumpkin, carrot, green beans, asparagus, red pepper, among others), and wild greens (such as dandelion leaves and flowers, grass, chickweed, mulberry, alfalfa, among others). Afterwards, you can sprinkle the supplement over the salad. It's important to keep in mind that 80-90% of the tortoise's diet should consist of leafy greens and wild greens, while only 10-20% should be other vegetables. As for fruit, it should be offered only occasionally, as a "treat".

Reproduction of the Mediterranean tortoise

Females lay their eggs in shallow nests dug in the ground. They can lay up to 12 eggs in a single nest and may lay several nests during the breeding season. The eggs take about 90 days to hatch.

Copulation is not as violent as in Testudo graeca, although the ritual is similar. In French Provence, egg-laying begins around May 15 and ends in early July. The photoperiod triggers egg-laying more than ambient heat. The tortoises dig a pod-shaped nest about 6 to 10 cm deep and lay one to five eggs, each about 3 cm in size.

Sometimes there is a second clutch, three weeks after the first. Incubation lasts about 90 days and hatching occurs after heavy rains in mid-August or September. If the hatchlings do not emerge due to lack of significant rainfall or a late clutch, they break their shell but remain underground, only appearing the following spring. They weigh about 10 g. The success rate of clutches in the wild is 80%, but juvenile mortality is very high. Only four or five out of every 1,000 hatchlings survive after three years.

Sex differentiation in this species occurs at 28.5 degrees Celsius. If kept at 26 degrees, only males are produced, but if kept at 30 degrees, only females are produced.

Sexual maturity in this species begins at 8-12 years for males and 10-14 years for females.

Buying a Mediterranean tortoise

Mediterranean tortoises are fascinating animals and have become popular pets worldwide. However, it is important to remember that these tortoises are wild animals and should not be taken from their natural habitat. The capture and sale of Mediterranean tortoises is illegal in many countries and can be harmful to tortoise populations.

When you buy a Mediterranean tortoise, it is important that the specimens of this species have the necessary documentation to guarantee their legal origin. This means they must have been born in captivity and come from an authorized breeder. Certain documents are required to legally sell or transfer a specimen of this species.

Care of the Mediterranean tortoise in captivity

Habitat: It should have adequate space to move freely. An aquarium or terrarium should be at least four times the size of the tortoise's shell. It is important to have a place where it can bask in the sun and another where it can hide. Recommended size is 100 cm x 50 cm.

Water: To ensure the tortoise can easily access water, it is important that the drinking dish is at a height proportional to the size of the tortoise. For example, if it is a Mediterranean tortoise just a few months old, the height of the drinking dish should not exceed 1 cm.

Temperature: In the cool area, daytime temperature should range between 22 and 26ºC. In the warmer area, directly under the basking spot, daytime temperature should be between 30 and 35ºC. At night, the temperature can drop to a range of 18-24ºC and a night lamp is not necessary.

Lighting: For Mediterranean tortoises, it is important to provide adequate lighting in their habitat. It is recommended to have a source of natural light, either through a window or direct sunlight if outdoors. If this is not possible, artificial lighting can be used, such as UVB lamps and UVA, which simulate sunlight and are important for the synthesis of vitamin D and the general well-being of the tortoise. It is important to follow the manufacturer's recommendations regarding intensity and duration of lighting. Additionally, it is advisable to maintain a day-night cycle to keep the tortoise's circadian rhythm.

Feeding: As indicated above.

Conservation status

Until 1976, the tortoise had been subject to intense collection and export, which led to its inclusion in Appendix II of CITES as a protective measure. During World War II, some inhabitants of Provence ate it due to food shortages. Until the mid-20th century, it was eaten in convents during fasting days, as it was considered, along with otters, snails, and frogs, to be "neither meat nor fish." Currently, these Mediterranean tortoises are affected by urbanization, habitat destruction, collection, and fires in these Mediterranean regions.

Currently, the Mediterranean tortoise survives only in a small area in central Var (and in Corsica), with its territory fragmented in Spain and Italy. Since 1986, various activities have been carried out to raise public awareness, conduct studies, and breed the species in captivity to reintroduce it into its natural habitat. However, threats persist, such as urbanization in Var, which limits the living space of these tortoises, and the proliferation of pet shops that promote them as pets, increasing commercial pressure and illegal collection. It is important to protect habitats, conduct studies, raise public awareness, and educate people that these are wild animals, not pets. Due to its vulnerable situation, the Mediterranean tortoise is considered "endangered" by the Turtle Conservation Fund.

Other types of land tortoises

There are several species of land tortoises around the world, each with distinctive characteristics:

Accessories for land tortoises