Leopard Tortoise
TYPE: Reptile
STATUS:
Least Concern
QUICK STATS
Body size
About 16–18 inches long
40 pounds on average
native habitat
Grassland, thorny scrub, savannah of Central and southern Africa
life expectancy
Up to 75 years
diet
Grasses, fruit, succulent plants
Reproduction
5–7 clutches of up to 30 eggs per clutch
predators
Eggs preyed upon by small predators. Adults preyed on by lions.
natural defenses
Able to pull entire body into shell or release their bowel
About the Species
AFRICA’S OTHER LEOPARD
The leopard tortoise is one of the most widely distributed tortoises in Africa.
The leopard tortoise has a yellow and black patterned shell and lives in the savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa. These tortoises are common in the pet trade.
These herbivores are important seed dispersers, as the seed passes intact through their digestive system. They are most active during the morning and just before sundown due to the extreme temperatures in their native habitat.
Depending on the latitude, the mating season is between May and June, or October and November. During this time, males have been known to be aggressive and ram into their competition.
Stigmochelys pardalis
Africa supports more land tortoises than anywhere else in the world.
WORD FROM
THE EXPERTS
