Natal hinge-back tortoise facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Natal hinge-back tortoise |
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Kinixys
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| Species: |
natalensis
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The Natal hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys natalensis) is a special kind of tortoise. It's also known as the Natal hinge-backed tortoise or Natal hinged tortoise. These small tortoises live in a specific part of southern Africa. You can find them near the borders of Mozambique, South Africa, and Eswatini.
What Does the Natal Hinge-back Tortoise Look Like?
The Natal hinge-back tortoise is one of the smallest hinged tortoises. Its shell, called a carapace, can grow up to 15.5 cm (about 6 inches) long. Most are between 8 and 14 cm (3 to 5.5 inches). The shell is a bit rounded on top, with a flat middle section.
These tortoises get their name from a special "hinge" on their shell. This hinge lets them pull their back legs and tail inside for protection. For the Natal hinge-back, this hinge is not very strong. It only develops as they get older and is not present in young tortoises.
Their small tail ends in a unique spike. The head is usually brown or yellow. The scales on their shell often have dark and light rings. Female tortoises are usually bigger than males. They also tend to have bolder markings on their shells. Unlike other hinged tortoises, male Natal hinge-backs have a flat belly, not a curved one.
Where Do Natal Hinge-back Tortoises Live?
This rare tortoise lives in a small area of eastern southern Africa. You can find them mostly in the Kwazulu-Natal province of South Africa. They also live in parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Their home range extends into the nearby countries of Eswatini and the border of Mozambique.
They prefer to live in rocky areas. These places often have thorny bushes and dense shrubs, known as thornveld and bushveld. They live at elevations between 300 and 1000 meters (about 1,000 to 3,300 feet).
What do they eat? These tortoises mainly eat plants. However, they will also munch on insects and other small creatures if they get the chance.
Protecting the Natal Hinge-back Tortoise
The Natal hinge-back tortoise is quite rare. Because of this, it is considered a "vulnerable" animal. This means it faces a high risk of becoming endangered in the wild.
It is listed on CITES Appendix II. CITES is an international agreement that helps protect endangered plants and animals. Appendix II means that trade of these tortoises is controlled. This helps make sure that their survival is not threatened by too much buying and selling. Protecting their natural homes and controlling trade are important steps to help these unique tortoises survive.
