Russian tortoise

Russian tortoise is the easternmost of the five tortoises collectively known as Mediterranean tortoises. They are “so-called” because their native ranges occur in proximity to the Mediterranean Sea which lies south of Europe and north of Africa. The other Mediterranean tortoises are Testudo graeca (spur-thighed tortoise), T. hermanni (Hermann’s tortoise), T. marginata (marginated tortoise) and T. kleinmanni (Egyptian tortoise).

The range of the Russian tortoise extends from southeastern Russia southward through eastern Iran, northwest Pakistan and Afghanistan. It inhabits dry, barren localities such as rocky deserts and hillsides and sandy or loamy steppes, often at elevations of 5,000 feet (1,500 m) or higher. In these arid regions, the tortoise is frequently found near springs and brooks where grasses and other vegetation are relatively abundant.