With World Turtle Day being on May 23rd, we feature a turtle or tortoise as our Animal of the Month every May. This year, our featured creature was the Greek tortoise! But now that May is coming to an end, it’s time to say “see you later” to these mellow reptiles. We hope that you were following us on Bluesky, “X” (a.k.a. Twitter) and Threads as we posted fun and fascinating facts about Greek tortoises. But if you happened to miss any of our posts, here is a summary that you can reference at any time. Did you know?:

• The Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca) is also known as the spur-thighed tortoise, the Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise, the Moorish tortoise and the common tortoise.
• There are about 20 Greek tortoise subspecies that have been described, but this is a matter of debate and some sources say about 12 are officially recognized as subspecies.
• The scientific name for the Greek tortoise is pretty much a direct translation from the Latin. “Testudo” means “tortoise” and “graeca” means “Greek.”
• Despite their name, Greek tortoises are not exclusively found in Greece. While they are found in southern Europe, they are also endemic to northern Africa and southwest Asia.
• In addition to Greece, Greek tortoises can be found in countries including – but not limited to – Albania, Iran, Iraq, Morocco, Turkey and Ukraine.
• In the wild, Greek tortoises are found in a variety of habitats; including semi-desert, dry scrub, grasslands, pine woods and temperate forests.
• Much of the Greek tortoise’s natural range can become very hot in the summer. They’re diurnal, meaning they’re active during the day. But when it’s too hot they become more active during sunrise and sunset.
• Greek tortoises will also rest in shady areas or dig burrows for themselves to escape the daytime heat.
• In parts of their range where the weather can become cooler, Greek tortoises will spend in the winter brumating, which is a type of hibernation for reptiles.
• Greek tortoises are among the small- to medium-sized tortoise species. Adult females are about 25 cms (10 inches) in length, while males grow to about 13-17 cms (5-7 inches).
• The upper part of the Greek tortoise’s shell is called the carapace, which has a high dome and is tan or gold with dark brown or black blotches.
• It’s suggested that the patterns and colours on the scutes (bony plates) of their shells resemble Greek mosaics, which is why they are called Greek tortoises.
• Greek tortoises also have brown or black and tan or gold colouring on their heads and legs. They have blunt snouts and large dark eyes.
• Their front legs have large scales and they have prominent claws, which help Greek tortoises dig.
• Male Greek tortoises have longer tails than their female counterparts. Both males and females have a spur on either side of their tails. It’s believed these spurs help them dig and grip the ground.
• May 23rd is World Turtle Day, which was founded by American Tortoise Rescue and has been celebrated every May 23rd since 2000.
• World Turtle Day is to raise awareness and educate people about the world’s turtles and tortoises, their environments and the threats they face.
• As for the Greek tortoise, their wild population is under threat from poaching for the pet trade along with habitat destruction due to overgrazing by livestock and urbanization.
• The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists the Greek tortoise as “vulnerable,” but that’s based on an assessment which was last done in 1996.
• Greek tortoises are herbivorous, meaning that they only eat plant matter. In the wild, they will eat a variety of seeds, grasses and other herbaceous plants, which are plants without a woody stem.
• As for who eats Greek tortoises, they can count birds of prey, snakes and wild boar among their predators.
• The main way Greek tortoises defend themselves is by retracting their heads and legs into their hard shells.
• Camouflage is another defense mechanism for Greek tortoises. The dark brown/black and tan/gold colouring on their shells, heads and limbs help them blend into their surroundings so they’re hard to spot by predators.
• With the threats they face from predators, habitat loss and other human activity, it’s unclear how long Greek tortoises live in wild. Estimates range widely from 20 to 75 years.
• With good care in captivity, Greek tortoises can live to be an average of 100 years – and much longer in some cases.
• For example, a female Greek tortoise named Timothy was found by a Royal Navy captain on a Portuguese ship in 1854. It was believed she was around 10-years-old when he found her.
• Timothy became a ship mascot for the Royal Navy until 1892 and is considered to be the last survivor of the Crimean War (1853-1856).
• After living out her days at Powderham Castle near Exeter, UK, Timothy died in early April 2004 at the approximate age of 160.
• If you want Greek tortoises in your family, not only should you know what they will need to be healthy and happy, but you should also make plans for future care because chances are they will outlive you.