Photo: (c) Bernard DUPONT, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) (CC-BY-SA)
Turtle Species
Leopard Tortoise
Stigmochelys pardalis
- Scientific nameStigmochelys pardalis
- Japanese nameヒョウモンガメ
- FamilyTortoises (Testudinidae)
- Max carapace length40 cm
- Longest recorded lifespan55 years
- DietHerbivorous
- LifestyleTerrestrial
- Conservation status (IUCN)LC — Least Concern
- iNaturalist observations10,342
About this species
The leopard tortoise is a large and attractively marked tortoise found in the savannas of eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan to the southern Cape Province. It is the only extant member of the genus Stigmochelys, although in the past, it was commonly placed in Geochelone. This tortoise is a grazing species that favors semiarid, thorny to grassland habitats. In both very hot and very cold weather, it may dwell in abandoned fox, jackal, or aardvark burrows. The leopard tortoise does not dig other than to make nests in which to lay eggs. Given its propensity for grassland habitats, it grazes extensively upon mixed grasses. It also favors succulents and thistles.
Source: Wikipedia「Leopard tortoise」 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
