Hermann’s tortoises are a type of reptile that has a shell. They are a type of terrapins found near the Mediterranean sea. This mediterranean reptile is known to be one of the most popular tortoises to be kept as a pet.  There are three subspecies but this report will focus on the eastern and western Hermann’s tortoise. 

Appearance 

Tortoises are like turtles, but they live on land. The Hermann’s tortoises both have shells colored yellow-orange and is a domed shell, with black scutes. Their faces can be brown or black with a yellow dot on each of the sides of their heads.

Their forelimbs have large and small granular scales that protect it. They also have four to five claws on each of their feet. The rear feet always sport 4 claws and each are equipped with large scales on the heels. These scales help protect their feet from the rough surface of the ground.  

Differences can be found between Eastern and Western Hermann‘s tortoises. The eastern species of the Hermann's tortoise is bigger than the western species. According to the website ANIMALIA, Eastern species grow to about 11in (28cm) long, while the western species can barely reach the length of 7 in (18cm).  Some of the western adult species are so small that they only grow to around 2.8in (7cm).  However Hermann’s tortoises are small, compared to south med-sized turtles from Southern Europe.

Diet

Hermann's tortoises are folivores, a specific type of  herbivore that eats  leaves that are often toxic to other animals. According to Animalia, a part of their diet include snails, earthworms, insects and carrion of rabbits lizard amphibians and feces  They can eat insects, plants, and fruits mostly plants but they can also eat carrion. According to turtleholic.com, fruits can be dangerous for tortoises because they cannot process sugar that well.

Habitat

Hermann’s tortoise can be found in Europe and Western Asia  along the Mediterranean coast. According to Animalia, this includes countries such as southern France, Albania, Romania, Turkey and Spain. Hermann’s tortoises prefer inland and forests near the coast as their habitat. 

From the Animal Diversity Web, Female Hermann’s tortoises are usually in coastal forest because the females build their nest in the forest to keep the eggs isolated and away from predators. However, due to  habitat destruction in their range, they may also be found in habitats such as  dry savannas or hilly grasslands and farmland. Despite the fact that these places are dry, they still allow Hermann’s tortoises to  forage for ground vegetation actively.

Predators

Hermann’s tortoises have many predators. According to Animal Diversity Web, Young Hermann’s tortoises have many predators such as rats, birds (mostly magpie), snakes, wild boar ,badgers, hedgehogs, and red foxes. To young tortoises and on occasions adult hermann tortoises, these predators are very deadly because young Herman’ tortoises have softer shells. This means that the teeth of predators may break through their shells. Adult Hermann’s tortoises have fewer predators due to their ability to hide in their shells. As their shells grow harder, the risk of predators decreases.

Communication

Hermann’s tortoises have many ways of talking or communicating to each other. In an article published on the Animal Diversity Web, communication goes through a variety of tactile signs: visual, auditory, and olfactory. Females use their vision to choose males,while males use high pitched noises to attract males. If a female accepts a male the male will climb onto the females and mount the female

In summary, these  gentle animals are folivores that mainly digest leaves.  While they are not endangered, they are still threatened by deforestation, global warming, and poaching. You can help protect these species by raising awareness and being cautious about your actions.