Burmese Mountain or Burmese Black Tortoise

 Manouria emys phayrei

There are two species originating in Burma and western Thailand in southern Asia and considered to be the most primitive of living tortoises.  Our 5 large tortoises came from Texas and have been on loan from a private party since 2000.  Two of the adults, Jolene and Bully, mated producing 36 eggs that were placed in an incubator.  After more than two months, 27 eggs hatched.  A third (9) of the tortoises now belong to the zoo.  The babies and adults are fed chopped fruit, lettuce or cabbage, and alfalfa pellets soaked in water.  These tortoises also like soaking in water.

Take the Zoo Tour to see photos of hatchlings.

These social tortoises communicate with head bobbing and a variety of vocalizations- especially when mating which occurs frequently.  The nest is made of debris, leaf litter and zoo hay, which is backswept into a pile by the female using her front limbs.  The clutches can be more than 50 eggs that are covered and guarded by the female for a few days, to more than 3 weeks.  The nest guarding helps limit predation, but many zoos decide to artificially incubate the eggs for 63-84 days in moist vermiculite to assure greater hatching success.  The eggs are slightly dented and translucent white when first laid, then round out and become opaque.  The hard outer shell cracks before hatching and a rubbery skin remains.  When hatching, the babies break through with an egg tooth and then remain in the shell for up to 2 days until most of their egg sac is absorbed.

Tortoises may live 100-125 years, weigh fifty to eighty-five pounds and have carapaces of sixteen to twenty-four inches.