Any of some 40 species (family Testudinidae) of slow-moving, terrestrial, herbivorous turtles , found in the Old and New Worlds but chiefly in Africa and Madagascar.
Tortoises have a high, domed shell, heavy elephantlike hind legs, and hard-scaled forelegs. The four North American species (genus Gopherus ) have a brown shell, about 8–14 in. (20–35 cm) long, and flattened forelimbs adapted for burrowing. The common, or European, tortoise ( Testudo graeca ) has a shell about 7–10 in. (18–25 cm) long. Most species of giant tortoises on the Galápagos and other islands are now rare or extinct. One captive Galápagos tortoise had a shell 4.25 ft (1.3 m) long and weighed 300 lbs (140 kg).
Galápagos tortoise ( Geochelone elephantopus ).
Francisco Erize-Bruce Coleman Ltd.