Here at Wild Florida, we love our Florida wildlife. We give our guests several opportunities to experience different types of wildlife, whether it’s through Orlando airboat rides or through our wildlife park. One of the best exhibits we have here at Wild Florida is our tortoise exhibit. Tortoises are land-dwelling turtles, and while many people think that tortoises are part of a completely different group than turtles, they are, in fact, classified as turtles. The top part of their shell is actually called the carapace, and the underside is called the plastron, and both parts of the shell are connected by a bridge.
When females are ready to give birth, they will dig nesting burrows, and they will lay anywhere from one to 30 eggs and then cover the area with sand, soil and organic material. Tortoises typically lay eggs at night. After the eggs are laid and protected, it generally takes anywhere from 60 to 120 days to incubate. After the incubation period, the hatchling will break out of its shell and dig to the surface.
You can actually tell the lifespan of a tortoise by counting the number of concentric rings on the outside of its shell. It’s not always the most foolproof way to determine the age of a tortoise because in some instances, the rings will wear off or if they don’t have seasonal variation in their diet. In general, tortoises have the longest lifespan of any animal, and it’s been documented that some have even lived longer than 150 years.
Typically, tortoises feed on grasses, weeds, leafy greens, flowers, and some fruits. In some cases, tortoises will consume worms or insects, which in some cases can lead to an ingestion of too much protein. When tortoises consume too much protein, it could lead to shell deformities and other medical issues.
If you’re interested in seeing our brand new tortoise exhibit at Wild Florida, contact us today. While you’re here, schedule an Orlando airboat ride to see other animals in an undeveloped, natural setting in the headwaters of the Everglades. Visit our website to learn more about what we offer just outside of Orlando.
