Leopard Tortoise
The Leopard Tortoise is widely distributed in the arid and savanna regions of eastern and southern Africa.
The countries of occurrence include Angola, Botswana, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The presence is Eritrea is unclear.
The largest numbers of Leopard Tortoises are recorded in Tanzania.
The current global population trend is unknown. Declines in some areas of East Africa have been attributed to unsustainable harvest for the pet trade. Adult tortoises are also collected for use in traditional medicine and as a source of food.
Conservation
■ Listed in Appendix II of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES, or Washington Convention).
Taxonomy
■ Phylum Chordata – chordates
■ Class Reptilia – reptiles
■ Order Testudines – turtles
■ Family Testudinidae – tortoises
■ Species Stigmochelys pardalis – Leopard Tortoise
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