The forest hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys erosa), also known commonly as the serrated hinge-back tortoise or Schweigger's tortoise, is a species of tortoise in the familyTestudinidae. The species is indigenous to the tropical forests and marshes of central and western Africa.
A different species, Psammobates oculifer, is known by a similar common name, serrated tortoise.[3]
Geographic range and habitat
The forest hinge-back tortoise is indigenous to the tropical rainforests of Sub-Saharan Africa. Here it is often found in marshes and river banks, where it spends much of its time buried under roots and logs.
K. erosa can arch its back 90 degrees downwards to protect its tail and hind legs while sleeping and to protect itself from predators. It is an excellent swimmer and can dive and navigate rainforest water-bodies to search for food.[citation needed]
Reproduction
The female K. erosa lays up to 4 eggs on the ground, covered in leaves.
K. erosa is hunted locally for bush meat, and its range has retreated due to clearance of its rainforest habitat. The forest hinge-back tortoise is considered to be threatened in the long-term, primarily due to habitat destruction.[4]