Grenada Island Tortoise...subspecies?

[sunshine_hugs]

I live on the island of Grenada, and have 5 redfoot hatchlings (well, 2 are 7 months old, the other 3 are a couple weeks old).

I was recently informed that the tortoises that are native here, are slightly different than other redfoots...almost like a subspecies. When I google redfoot subspecies, I don't find much info, other than that there is no subspecies.

Has anyone heard of Grenada island redfoots? Is their care the same? Is there anything that is actually different.

Just curious.

The picture of the adult tortoise is not my tortoise...belongs to someone else here...I added it, just so you can see what they look like as adults.

 

[immayo]

This may help. http://www.tortoisesupply.com/baby-grenada-island-redfoot-tortoise/

I saw tortoise supply selling these awhile back and I was under the impression that they have better coloring than northerns.

 

[EricIvins]

Redfoots on Grenada are a conglomeration of different Redfoot types collected all over South American and subsequently released. This was a popular thing to do on many of the Carribean Islands in the 17-1900's because Tortoises are an all in one food package for long distance voyages. They are not a subspecies, nor do they "look" better than a typical Redfoot. They are introduced animals, and to be honest, most I've seen are nothing to write home about...

 

[tortadise]

Yep they sure do. I don't have any. But I do have some from Trinidad & Tobago. They are not quite a sub-species yet at least. Red foots are classified into types right now. Northern, Eastern, North Eastern, North Western, and Southern(or Gran Chaco). Trinidad,Grenada, Turks, etc.. of the island types are classified as North Eastern.

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Here is a fantastic article such research for the types and ranges. Good read.

http://www.fundacionbiodiversa.org/pdf/Mario/Vargas_2010_Chelonoidis.pdf

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Yeah, I agree with Eric on this one for sure. Most that come from the islands were definitely introduced at some point. The trinidad ones I have really signify no difference in any ofther northern or northeastern i have.

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[sunshine_hugs]

Thanks for the info & links. I mostly wanted to make sure that the care was the same. I'm new to tortoises, but they really don't look any different to me so far.

I love them the same, no matter what they are...just want to make sure I'm caring for them properly.

 

[tortadise]

Yep, just fine. Nothing special for these guys.