Mediterranean tortoise
Testudo graeca
Mediterranean tortoises have been imported around the world since the 1890s. More than 10 million tortoises have passed through the UK alone since that time, most of them Mediterranean tortoises. These are the most popular tortoises in the UK. In the 1970s and 1980s there were widely kept as pets. This removal of so many tortoises from their natural habitat put severe pressure on the populations of this species.
The species is listed under Appendix II of CITES.
These tortoises can grow to up to 36 centimetres in length.
In 1984, the trade of wild tortoises was totally banned.
IUCN red list status
The IUCN status of the Mediterranean tortoise is near threatened.
For more info on classifications, visit www.iucnredlist.org (link opens in new window).
Fun fact
Tortoises can’t swim
Animal class
Reptile
Conservation status
Believed to be a risk of extinction in future, with threats from habitat destruction, the pet trade, hunting for meat and shells.
Habitat
Grasslands and forest – found in North Africa, Southern Europe and the Middle East.
Population
Exact figures are unknown, but the population of the Mediterranean tortoise is thought to be declining rapidly.
Diet
Herbivore – eats leaves, fruit and other plant materials