What is saddle backed tortoise?

The saddle-backed tortoise, also known as the African spurred tortoise or sulcata tortoise, is a species of tortoise native to the Sahara desert and the surrounding regions of Africa. They are among the largest species of tortoise in the world, with adults weighing up to 100 pounds and reaching lengths of up to 30 inches.

Saddle-backed tortoises have a distinctive appearance, with a high, dome-shaped carapace (shell) that is brown or yellow in color and covered in bony plates called scutes. These scutes form ridges along the length of the shell, giving the tortoise its characteristic "saddle-back" shape. The head, legs, and tail are also covered in scutes, and are mostly brown in color.

These tortoises are herbivores, feeding primarily on grasses, leaves, and other vegetation. They are known for their ability to go long periods of time without water, as they can store large amounts of it in their bodies.

Saddle-backed tortoises are popular as pets due to their unique appearance, but they require a lot of space and care to thrive. They are long-lived animals and can live for up to 100 years in captivity. Due to their popularity as pets, however, many wild populations of saddle-backed tortoises are threatened by habitat loss and over-collection for the exotic pet trade.