---
title: "Indian Star Tortoise"
description: "Geochelone elegans — Répteis. The Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) is a threatened tortoise species native to India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka where it inhabits dry areas and scrub forest."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/pt/animal/indian-star-tortoise
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Indian Star Tortoise

> Geochelone elegans — Répteis. The Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) is a threatened tortoise species native to India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka where it inhabits dry areas and scrub forest.

- Scientific name: *Geochelone elegans*
- Category: `reptiles` (Répteis)
- Habitats: `savanna` (Savana), `desert` (Deserto)
- iNaturalist observations: 885
- Wikidata: [Q846461](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q846461)
- iNaturalist taxon: [40106](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/40106)

## Names

- en: Indian Star Tortoise
- de: Indische Sternschildkröte
- fr: Tortue étoilée d'Inde
- nl: Sterschildpad
- pl: Żółw gwiaździsty

## Countries with the most observations

LK (289), IN (280)

## Summary

The Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) is a threatened tortoise species native to India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka where it inhabits dry areas and scrub forest. It has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2016, as the population is thought to comprise more than 10,000 individuals, but with a declining trend. It is threatened by habitat loss and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade. It was upgraded to CITES Appendix I in 2019 by full consensus among all member states, giving it the highest level of international protection from commercial trade. Conservation group TRAFFIC found 6,040 were seized…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_star_tortoise

## Photo

![Indian Star Tortoise](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/indian-star-tortoise/medium.jpg)

Photo: Ruth B · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/332150393

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/indian-star-tortoise?lang=pt` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).