Bell's Hingeback Tortoise

Bell's hinge-back tortoise is a fascinating species from Africa, belonging to the Testudinidae family. Its unique feature—a hinge on its shell—is characteristic of all tortoises in the Kinixys genus. This tortoise is named after the English zoologist Thomas Bell, hence its scientific name, Kinixys belliana.

These medium-sized tortoises have light brown shells and can grow up to about 22 centimeters in length. One of their most remarkable traits is the 90-degree hinge on the back of their shell, which provides additional protection. They typically inhabit tropical and sub-tropical savannas across sub-Saharan Africa.

Bell's hinge-back tortoises are omnivores, consuming a diet that includes plants, insects, and occasionally other types of meat. In the wild, they must be wary of predators such as leopards, hawks, and eagles. Unfortunately, they also face significant threats from illegal international trade, local hunting, human population growth, and fires caused by human activities. In response to these dangers, the USDA banned the importation of Bell's hinge-back tortoises, along with Leopard tortoises and African spurred tortoises, in 2000.

Previously, scientists had identified several subspecies of Bell's hinge-back tortoise, including belliana, domerguei, nogeuyi, and zombensis. However, a study by Kindler et al. in 2012 reclassified zombensis and nogeuyi as separate species. Bell's hinge-back tortoises frequently host various parasites, such as ticks and roundworms, which can impact their health.