Description: Having first appeared around 200 million years ago, turtles and tortoises are among the oldest living reptiles on the planet. They all have a shell, four limbs and a horny, toothless beak. The Egyptian tortoise lives in the fairly arid, low humidity coastal desert regions of the Middle East. It is rare throughout its range and thought to be nearly extinct in Egypt.

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IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
Major Threats: Habitat loss and illegal pet trade
Habitat: Coastal scrub forest, desert and semi-desert
Location: Southeast Mediterranean Basin, from Libya to Israel
Diet: Rough grasses, desert plants and fruit