Novel observations of aquatic behaviour in Indian star tortoises (Geochelone elegans): Implications for ecology, conservation, and captive care

Abstract

The Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) is widely regarded as a strictly terrestrial testudinid associated with arid and semi-arid landscapes. Published accounts emphasise dry scrub, grassland, and agricultural mosaics, with little mention of deliberate use of open water. Over 17 years (2006–2023), I recorded multiple instances of voluntary swimming by G. elegans in Gujarat, India, in both natural and captive settings. In the wild, single adults were observed purposefully crossing flooded monsoon depressions and small lakes, maintaining buoyancy and directional movement over distances of 20–50 m. In captivity, one adult female at a wildlife rehabilitation centre engaged in routine afternoon swims across a 3-ft-deep pond, and a pair of adults in a zoological enclosure repeatedly entered and swam or wallowed in a shallow pond, with a clear seasonal peak in warmer months. These observations are, to my knowledge, the first detailed field and captive accounts of sustained swimming in G. elegans. They suggest that this species possesses greater ecological and behavioural flexibility than currently reflected in the literature and that shallow aquatic features may be a relevant, though currently neglected, component of environmental enrichment in captivity. I discuss these observations in the context of chelonian adaptability, conservation in increasingly fragmented and flood-prone landscapes, and evidence-based recommendations for enclosure design and welfare.