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Hermann’s tortoise
"A male has a small indentation in the shell on his abdomen. This indentation is necessary for mating."
Discover in real lifeHabitat
Southern Europe, from Greece and Turkey to eastern Spain
Food
grass, cacti, plants, flowers, fruits
Lifetime
50 years old
Weight
1 kilogram (males) or 2.5 kilograms (females)
Number of eggs
10 eggs
Incubation time
2 months
IUCN status
sensitive
EEP?
no
Females get to choose
Hermann’s tortoises live alone. In February it is mating time. The tortoises then seek each other out. Males sometimes fight each other to decide who gets to mate with a female. They bite each other and try to flip the other male on its back. In the end the females get to choose who they mate with. Males make a grunting sound to attract the females. Apart from that, females check out which male looks the strongest and fittest.
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Theme area: Social or Solitary
You can see the Hermann’s tortoise in the ‘Social or Solitary’ theme area. Here, you’ll discover how animals live alone or in groups, and what the benefits of each are.
You're on your own
The female Hermann’s tortoise digs a hole in the ground to lay her eggs in. Once the eggs are laid, she covers the hole with sand and leaves. The female then goes away. No one looks after the eggs. When they hatch, the young are also completely on their own.