Size: Length; 50 cm. Weight; 22 kg.

Habitat and Distribution: Temperate moist, broadleaf forest and tropical evergreen rainforests in Southern Thailand, Peninsula Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo.

Age: 70-80 years.

Groups and Breeding: Although not a social animal, the Asian Brown Tortoise has several complex courtship behaviours involving head bobbing, trailing and fixation (where the male stretches his neck out to point directly at his mate). They are unique amongst tortoises in that they build their nests from leaves and debris on the surface of the ground. A completed nest may measure over 70cm in height and 150cm in width. The mother then lays from 20 to 50 eggs which she covers with leaves and protects from predators for the first few days. She then leaves them for the remainder of the gestation (63-84 days).

Diet: They are herbivorous, feeding on grasses, vegetables, leaves, seedlings, herbs, fruits and fungi although occasionally invertebrates and amphibians are eaten.

• This is the largest land tortoise in Asia and fourth largest tortoise in the world.
• This tortoise has such large scales on either side of the tail that it sometimes is known as the six-footed tortoise.
• The Asian Brown Tortoise is never found far from water and spends most of its days soaking in shady pools.
• Unlike other tortoises, these have a fairly complex system of vocalisations and communication.
• This species is unique in the level of care the females give to the newly laid eggs. She will defend her clutch by pushing and biting potential predators and if this does not work she will lay on her eggs. No other tortoise or turtle exhibits this kind of behaviour.
• This is thought to be the most primitive tortoise species in existence.