Origin
The European land turtle (Testudo hermanni) is spread especially in the Iron Gates area, on the valleys of the Danube tributaries, especially at the edge of the forest borders.
They also call him Hermann.
European turtle feed
It is a vegetarian species par excellence, feeding on leaves, berries, vegetables and very rarely small invertebrates.
Features land turtle
The medium-sized frog has about 4 cm at birth and 15-30 cm at adult age. The test is convex, with a rounded outline, without widening towards the posterior part.
There are no corny tubercles in the tail region. The supracaudal scales are split in two, and the overall shape is typically oval.
The color of this species is ocher-yellow or yellow-orange, with black spots and two bands of the same color at the level of the plastron.
European turtle breeding
It hibernates from October to the end of April, buried in the ground or in small caves present in the rocks at the banks.
Typically, it reproduces in late spring, when the female lays 11-12 white, spherical eggs with a diameter of 3.5 cm. which they bury in the ground.
The chicks hatch after a period of 3-4 months and measure at birth about 4cm. Due to biotope modification, pollution, ignorance and even disinterest in the species, it is currently on the verge of extinction, being protected by law.
