Tortoises inhabit diverse regions worldwide, primarily on land across multiple continents except Australia and Antarctica.

Global Distribution

Tortoises thrive from southern North America through southern South America, around the Mediterranean, across Eurasia to Southeast Asia, in sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and select Pacific islands. They favor semiarid spots like deserts and scrublands but also adapt to wet forests and mountains from sea level upward. Absent in Australasia, their versatility shines in varied climates.

Key Habitats by Type

  • Deserts : Species like the desert tortoise burrow in creosote bush flats of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Mexico), seeking refuge from heat.
  • Grasslands and Scrub : Gopher tortoises dig in southeastern U.S. uplands (Florida to South Carolina), supporting 360+ species as keystone dwellers.
  • Islands : Giant tortoises persist on Galápagos (12 subspecies) and Aldabra Atoll; historically more widespread but now limited.

Regional Spotlights

North American tortoises, such as Agassiz’s in U.S. deserts, face threats from habitat loss. African and Asian kinds span savannas to forests, while Galápagos giants munch vegetation on humid isles. Once on more islands like the Seychelles, many populations dwindled due to humans.

TL;DR : Tortoises live terrestrially worldwide (sans Australia/Antarctica) in deserts, forests, and islands—adaptable survivors in semiarid to tropical zones.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.