Star Tortoise (Testude Elegans)

Sinhalese: Mayvara ibba, Hooniam ibba, Vairan ibba, Tharuka ibba, Mukalan ibba, Makaral ibba or Vatekeya ibba.

Tamil: Katu amai, Katu Petti amai

Description: This is the only true tortoise in Sri Lanka and it is listed as an endangered species. The shell has a beautiful “star-like” pattern of brown and yellow, and the average length of the adult is about 25 cm along the under shell.

Distribution: Found in scrub land of the low country dry zone, preferring the coastal areas.

Habits: The star tortoise is a solitary animal, and on the whole crepuscular, spending the heat of the mid-day resting in the shade. They are fairly regular in their habits and retire to the same patch of shade every day. The food is mainly vegetable matter, grasses, fruits, flowers and sometimes the young of the West African Snail (Achatina fulica). They have excellent sight and smell, but it is believed that their sense of hearing is nil or almost so.

Breeding: During the mating season, the males will fight other contestants by ramming their shells and trying to turn them over. The courtship sometimes takes several hours with the male clashing against the female’s shell. 3 to 6 eggs, which are white and hard-shelled, are laid in a hole dug by the female about 6 cm deep and wide. She then fills in the hole and flattens it by dropping her body on top. The eggs are then left to incubate and hatch by the heat of the sun. The young must fend for themselves.