Leopard tortoise

- Stigmochelys pardalis

The Leopard tortoise has been the subject of several revisions. Different authors have placed it in Geochelone (1957), Stigmochelys (2001), Centrochelys (2002) and Psammobates (2006). More recently, the consensus seems to have been established in Stigmochelys, a monotypic genus. There has been much debate about the existence of two subspecies, Stigmochelys pardalis pardalis and Stigmochelys pardalis babcocki, but recent work does not support this distinction.

Stigmochelys is a combination of Greek words: stigma que significa «marca» o «punta» y chelone que significa «tortuga». the specific name pardalis comes from the Latin word pardus, que significa «leopardo», and refers to leopard-like spots on the turtle's shell.

The Leopard tortoise is located in the following 17 countries: Ethiopia, Angola, Botswana, Djibouti, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Sudan, South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda.

The Leopard tortoise adult has a dorsal shell elongated and strongly curved. It is yellowish to light brown and is covered with irregular dark spots or stripes.. This characteristic coloration gave the species its name.. Unlike many other turtles, the Leopard tortoise no shield on the back of its neck. The legs and head are yellowish to light brown. Rarely do individual dark spots appear on them. The Paws they are covered with large scales and each hind leg has a cone-shaped spur. Equipped with powerful claws, the legs are the ideal tool for digging.

In the youth the coloration of the shell is clearly lighter, with dark spots in the center of the shield. These high-contrast patterns can also sometimes be found in abdominal armor.. The size difference is used to differentiate the sexes, just like the size of the queue. Male animals are usually smaller than their female counterparts and have a stretched body with a longer tail., which is also significantly thicker at the root. It also, the male's abdominal breastplate is slightly curved inward. The claws of the hind legs of females are particularly strong.

• The life expectancy of these reptiles are around the 50-60 years.

The Leopard tortoise are divided into two subspecies, the Leopard tortoise of East Africa and the Leopard tortoise from South Africa. The clearest distinguishing feature of both species is the coloration of the posterior layer.. In East African species, the basic color is weaker and darker. Juveniles have very few or no dark spots on both the belly and dorsal shell. The South African species has a flatter back and brighter colors.

The Leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis) it is not very demanding in terms of its habitat. Its distribution extends throughout the East African region to South Africa and Namibia.. It is found in warm semi-deserts, dry savannas and rainfed areas. There are even populations more than 2.000 meters above sea level. Only dense forest areas cannot be colonized due to the mass and slowness of reptiles. Daytime temperatures of 28 to 40 degrees centigrade and night temperatures up to 21 degrees Celsius provide optimal living conditions for animals.

The Leopard tortoise, like all reptiles, he is a cold blooded animal. They do not have a constant body temperature and adapt to room temperature. Behavior patterns are greatly influenced by this characteristic. According to the corresponding daytime temperatures, animals are forced to look for hiding places in the shade. In dry areas, thorny or grassy shrubs fulfill this function. Otherwise, turtles also look for abandoned animal burrows or rocks. At certain intervals, especially during periods of drought when food is scarce, take longer breaks of their own free will. These periods can last up to several weeks.. Then, food intake is minimized and body temperature may drop below 18 degrees.

Turtles are not nomadic. The only specimen moves in an area of ​​about 400 hectares without forming territories. But, due to its slowness, they only use a part of this surface. The proportion of females and males is practically the same, and males usually use much smaller territories than females. The Leopard tortoise he is a peaceful animal. There are no territorial fights between congeners.

The excellent adaptation to its habitat allows the Leopard tortoise manage your water balance very sparingly. It usually ingests the necessary amounts with its food and has regulatory bodily functions that allow it to store greater amounts of water in its body.. Their diet consists almost exclusively of plants. Prefers grass, thistles, lily plants and prickly pear.

The Leopard tortoise lives in different climatic zones. Mating behavior adapts to the respective climatic conditions, but it usually takes place in the spring or summer months. Males, otherwise peaceful, they now try to scare away their companions who court the females. They do this by ramming the shells of their opponents.. With the same ritual, female turtles are asked to stop and stick their heads and legs in. Next, mating takes place. The loud gasps emitted are characteristic of the mating ritual in many species of turtles..

Reptiles are not dedicated to the care of the young. Females dig a pit with their hind legs in which they lay eggs. The number per clutch varies greatly and is usually between 10 and 20 eggs. Three to six clutches of eggs are laid per year with an average interval of about 25 days. After placement, the pit is carefully closed. The duration from egg laying to hatching of the young is influenced by many factors.. Temperature and humidity influence the length of the incubation period, that can last from 120 to 450 days. Young turtles measure about five centimeters and have a hemispherical dorsal shell..

State of conservation ⓘ
Minor Concern ⓘ (UICN)ⓘ

The Leopard tortoise Adult has few natural enemies in its habitat. In addition to the hyena and the lion, man is the greatest of them. With its regulatory interventions in the environment, threaten reptile habitat in some areas. Overgrazing, slash-and-burn agriculture, urban expansion and fencing of grazing areas are the main causes of population decline. In some regions the meat of turtles is consumed and body parts are used to produce medicines.. Every year thousands of animals are collected for the international pet trade and shipped all over the world.. Black traders have also discovered this market and try to sell their products through dark channels.. Customs authorities seize large quantities of Leopard tortoise smuggled.

But, the greatest threat is to the clutches of eggs and young. Nests are often raided by small mammals, birds, snakes or even by humans. Young animals also constantly face the dangers of stray dogs and cats., birds of prey, snakes or rats. The Leopard tortoise is not considered endangered in its species and can be acquired in for maintenance in captivity without prior permission. But, according to the European Species Protection Regulation, the acquisition must be notified to the competent authorities. The same provisions of the official notification requirement apply to breeding, delivery, the death and transfer of animals.

Reproduction can begin once animals have reached sexual maturity, that occurs to some 20 – 25 centimeters of carapace length. Mating usually begins in spring with the behavior already described. After a gestation period of several months, females bury their eggs in a warm, moist spot in the ground in late summer. Stress, such as transfers, should be avoided at all costs in pregnant females. after sunset, eggs can be carefully removed from the ground. Half buried in loose sand, now they are placed in the incubator. The temperature should be 30 constant degrees centigrade and the humidity should not drop below 65%. After 150 to 300 days, the first pups are born. In the first weeks, they also need cooler, moister areas than adult animals.

When a Leopard tortoise, one or more individuals should be selected from a breeding stock for health reasons. Specimens caught in the wild are usually carriers of parasites and very susceptible to contracting diseases due to the stress of the long journey.. Deformation and softening of the shell, diseases of the internal organs and respiratory infections are the most common.

The breeding of a Leopard tortoise it's quite expensive. Heating, feeding and the various devices to create an environmental climate suitable for the species at all times of the year, as well as the large space that animals need, place high demands on the owner. But, this species is one of the most beautiful and imposing representatives of turtles and the lover of these animals is compensated daily by its sublime vision.

The Leopard tortoise is eager to move and run. This guarantees them a digestion that works. For this reason and for its size, only sufficiently sized rooms are adequate to maintain them. In this case, you have to take into account the climatic conditions to which the animals are accustomed. A permanent ambient temperature of 30 degrees and the supply of ultraviolet light in the wave range around 300 nm are prerequisites for keeping animals appropriate to the species. Turtles need ultraviolet light to synthesize vitamin D, that is essential for life. The ideal is to divide the room into several climatic zones so that the animals find a place with the most pleasant ambient temperature.

The Leopard tortoise must be kept in pairs. A mixture of sand and peat is suitable as a substrate. Do not forget the creation of hiding places. Hollow tree trunks or haystacks are useful furniture here. Of course, a bowl of water for drinking and bathing is part of the basic equipment.

When it comes to feeding, pay attention to seasonal peculiarities. Winter corresponds to the dry season in the natural habitat of animals. Consequently, food should consist of dried grass and dried herbs. In summer, wild plants such as hibiscus are recommended, Dandelion, thistles and all wildflowers, from violets to petunias. Cultivated plants, like fruits, lettuce or vegetable leaves, should be the exception in the diet. Under no circumstances should turtles be fed animal products or, for example, with cottage cheese, fruit and pasta.

The breeding of the Leopard tortoise also requires further expansion. If you buy one Leopard tortoise young after hatching, you have some 4 years to think about the later habitat in winter and summer. From then on the animal is already quite large and is already oversized for a very large terrarium in winter. Outer space must have at least 50 m2 and the winter space should not be less than the limit of 10 m2. The Leopard tortoise adult needs more than 100 square meters outdoors. Until then there are some 4 years longer. And don't forget that, no matter how big a room is in winter, it must always be heated to 30 °C.

The Leopard tortoise has a strong tendency to slouch. Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to say exactly why this is so. Animals are not kept in captivity very often and, if they do, most of the time only by people who have no means to investigate hump formation. Breeders have been observing the phenomenon for years and again and again they manage to breed one Leopard tortoise no hump formation. But, it is not known why, because the animals grew normally like other turtles, which in turn have hump formation.

Completely smooth shells are almost never found in the Leopard tortoise in captivity. On the other hand, in the natural habitat, almost all animals are completely smooth and of great beauty. So that your own animal grows healthy and has a long life, you just have to be very careful with the diet.

The Leopard tortoise young must have a higher humidity and grow in a rather moist soil. Make sure the floor is not misted with moisture more than once a day. Los animales no deben crecer «mojados». From the 3 years, animals prefer to grow dry. As in nature. Water must always be available. It is necessary to ensure that the animals do not bathe several times a day. Otherwise, they will absorb too much fluid and develop humps.

In winter, the diet of the Leopard tortoise limited to dry wild grasses that were raised in winter quarters but stopped being watered at some point. Thus, wild herbs dry out in the hot summer, just like in nature. Our winter is the African summer of turtles: do not forget it. There is also straw and plenty of hay in the enclosure. Animals feed on this. Water must always be available, but may run out during the day and should not be refilled. It is only refilled the next day, when everything gets fresh anyway.

The temperature should always be 30 to 33 grados en el «invierno» y de 45 degrees (tank surface) under heat sources. If you have the possibility, should reach maximum temperature at noon and cool down again at night. The temperatures of 19 to 22 degrees should be maintained at night. In no case should this temperature be lowered, or surpass it.

In summer, animals eat everything they find outdoors. Unlike many other turtles, to the Leopard tortoise also likes to feed on grass. But, they like to harvest it themselves and don't allow it to be presented to them. So, those who do not let their animals run freely in the garden must plant grass in the enclosure. The grass should be nice and green from April/May to the end of September. Then, the animals usually return to the inner enclosure and then the African summer begins.

The humps of the Leopard tortoise they are not always synonymous with bad breeding. If less or no humps are created it's great. But, if humps develop, no one's heart is broken and animals don't have to be worse off. Unfortunately, there is no exchange of experiences for the Leopard tortoise.

The price of a "Leopard tortoise" at the exotic animal market, ranges between 130 – 200 euros when it is a baby, being able to get to the 500 euros depending on their size and shell.

Panther turtle in the Kruger National Park, South Africa	S. pardalis, very high back (Photo M.Proot)	S. pardalis, relatively flat (Photo M.Proot)	Young breeding animal, of about three years.