Great news folks!  I finally made my way out of the ocean and into the dry and arid forests of India and Sri Lanka.  It is in these dry scrub forests that I came across an interesting animal called the Indian Star Tortoise.  While I sit down to enjoy my lunch, let’s go over a few of the facts about the Indian Star Tortoise. Actually, some of you may already know quite a bit about this little guy as they are quite popular among the pet trade.  Do you have a pet Star Tortoise?

The Indian Star Tortoise clearly received its name from the star shaped pattern found on their shell.  Oh and the fact that they can be found in India. As I mentioned in the opening this Star Tortoise can be found in dry grassland areas and scrub forests.  Naturally this habitat dictates the type of food they eat.  Any guesses? You are right!  They are herbivores which feed primarily on grasses, fallen fruits, leaves and will occasionally eat carrion (dead animals).  This pretty much sounds like my diet right now.

Although the Indian Star Tortoise has a large shell they are still susceptible to several predators.  Some of their most feared predators include birds of prey, reptiles and of course snakes.  Don’t get me wrong their shell does offer them protection as they can pull their head and limbs inside when threatened.  As well the star shaped pattern does more than just make them attractive pets.  The pattern on their dome actually breaks up the hard lines of the shell providing them with a nice form of camouflage.  This way, predators will walk, slither and fly by without even noticing this little tortoise.

The mating season for the Indian Star Tortoise varies depending on the specific area the tortoise is living in.  Why is this you ask?  Great question.  In order to mate the tortoise needs to wait for monsoon season.  Since monsoon season happens at different times in different locations so does their mating patterns.  Once the rainy season does strike the female will lay about 7 eggs and hope they can make it through to adulthood.

Indian Star Tortoise Fast Fact – Mathematicians believe the shape of the Star Tortoise shell allows the individual to easily flip back over if they are accidentally knocked on their back.  This is something humans need for getting up off of the incredibly comfy couches.

That does it for this week. Thanks for being a part of another wild week of Wild Facts.  I will be away all next week (actually, I was away for part of this week as well) so that means we will be having another themed week.  I will using another one of Agapelife’s suggestions so please make sure you stop by to check it out next week.  Enjoy your weekend folks!