South Kona, Hawaii
Drive the back roads of Hawaii Island long enough and you may spot something that looks like it walked out of a nature documentary: a massive, sand-colored tortoise grazing on a roadside lawn or plodding across a pasture. That is almost certainly a sulcata tortoise, also known as the African spurred tortoise. It is one of the largest tortoises on Earth, and one of the most popular large reptiles kept in Hawaii.
At Ho‘omau Ranch we spend a lot of time talking about what belongs in a Hawaiian landscape and what doesn't. Sulcatas are a good example. They are fascinating, long-lived animals that many island families love, and they are also a non-native species that needs responsible care. Here is what every visitor and resident should know about sulcata tortoises in Hawaii.
The sulcata tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata) is native to the southern edge of the Sahara Desert and the dry Sahel belt of Africa, from Senegal and Mauritania east to Sudan and Ethiopia. The name "sulcata" comes from the Latin for "furrowed," a nod to the deep growth rings on each scute of its shell. "Spurred" refers to the large, cone-shaped scales on its back legs.
Key facts at a glance:
Sulcatas are not native to Hawaii. In fact, no land tortoise is. Every sulcata in the islands arrived through the pet trade or was bred here from captive stock. Their popularity comes from their gentle nature, their hardiness, and their love of warm weather, which makes Hawaii's climate far kinder to them than most of the mainland.
They are legal to keep in Hawaii, but bringing one into the state is regulated. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity requires an import permit from the Chief Plant Inspector before arrival, plus a health certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian within seven days of travel. Tortoises must enter through Honolulu International Airport for inspection. Always check current rules with the department before buying or shipping a tortoise.
Sulcatas are powerful diggers. In the wild they excavate burrows that can extend dozens of feet underground to escape the desert heat. In a backyard, that same instinct means they can tunnel under fences, push through weak gates, and wander surprisingly far.
Hawaii news outlets have reported a number of runaway sulcatas over the years. In 2008, a fisherman found a 15-pound African spurred tortoise wandering a beach in Kihei, Maui. In 2015, a large tortoise turned up in a driveway in Kaneohe, Oahu, and was eventually reunited with its owner after local news coverage. These stories are charming, but they are a reminder that a loose tortoise can get injured by cars, dogs, or heat stress, and can damage gardens and native plants along the way.
As we explain in our article on why endemic species matter, Hawaii's native plants evolved for millions of years without large grazing animals. Many have no thorns, bitter compounds, or other defenses against being eaten.
A sulcata is essentially a slow-moving lawnmower. It eats grasses, weeds, and low-growing leafy plants all day long. An escaped or released tortoise in a forest restoration area could graze seedlings, trample understory plants, and dig up young roots. That is one more reason we fence our native Kona cloud forest at Ho‘omau Ranch, and why sulcatas should always be kept in secure enclosures and never released into the wild.
Hawaii's warm climate makes it one of the better places in the United States to raise a sulcata outdoors, but island conditions still require planning.
An adult sulcata needs a large outdoor yard, not a tank. Fences should be solid and sturdy enough to resist a 100-plus-pound animal pushing against them, and buried or reinforced at the base to stop digging.
Sulcatas thrive in heat and can handle temperatures near 100°F as long as they have shade and a cool burrow or shelter to retreat to. They struggle with cold and damp. Nighttime temperatures should stay above about 60°F. On the Big Island, upcountry areas like South Kona at higher elevations get cool, misty nights and heavy rain, so tortoises there need a dry, insulated, and often heated shelter.
In the wild, sulcatas live on dry grasses and succulents. A healthy captive diet looks similar:
Avoid fruit, high-protein foods like dog or cat food, and lawns treated with pesticides or fertilizers. Too much protein and too little fiber can cause "pyramiding," a lumpy, deformed shell, along with kidney and bone problems.
Provide a shallow water dish they can easily climb in and out of, and find a veterinarian experienced with reptiles. Wet, chilly conditions can lead to respiratory infections, so watch for runny noses, wheezing, or lethargy.
Because sulcatas can outlive their owners, think about who will care for your tortoise decades from now. Animal shelters and rescues across the islands regularly receive tortoises that outgrew their homes.
If you spot a sulcata wandering on a road, beach, or trail in Hawaii:
Sulcata tortoises remind us that every animal in Hawaii has a story, whether it is a native species found nowhere else on Earth or an introduced one that depends entirely on people for its care. At Ho‘omau Ranch, our mission is to protect native forest while managing the land responsibly for the next century.
Want to see how we balance working ranch land with native forest conservation? Book a guided forest UTV tour and explore the slopes of Mauna Loa with our expert guides.
