Today we got this young Leopard tortoise Geochelone pardalis pardalis. A guy was trying to sell him. Unfortunately because we have no idea where he came from he will now have to stay in captivity. There are so many bred in captivity you would think people could leave the wild ones alone.
Confiscated Leopard Tortoise
- Thread starter MichaelB
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- Apr 1, 2013
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How and why did you confiscate him?
That is one beautiful tortoise! Is that what wild ones look like? So much different from all the pictures of the CB's I have seen.
So smooth! Reminds me of a couple of other Leopards I know! 
His markings are beautiful! I wonder how old he is....? What are his stats? Weight and length
His markings are beautiful! I wonder how old he is....? What are his stats? Weight and length
I take it your in Africa? Why was he confiscated and why can't you let him go, if you live in the native land he is from? I may be wrong, but don't they travel lots, hundreds or thousands of miles anyway, so letting him go in a safe place wouldn't be a danger too him. I'm kinda asking, because it would be nice to see him left to be wild.
Yay! for being confiscated before it became "muti" . I learned about muti here:
http://hedgiesjoy.blogspot.com/2013/05/caring-for-your-leopard-tortoise.html
Kinda horrific. Are you a wildlife ranger? Or police?
This leopard is beyond stunning. Outrageously beautiful! Thanks for posting the picture. Love. : )
http://hedgiesjoy.blogspot.com/2013/05/caring-for-your-leopard-tortoise.html
Kinda horrific. Are you a wildlife ranger? Or police?
This leopard is beyond stunning. Outrageously beautiful! Thanks for posting the picture. Love. : )
wellington said:
I would assume it's for the same reasons we can't let captive reptiles go in America (at least in Maryland). They don't know how long the tort has been in captivity and whether it has picked up any diseases in captivity that could be potentially spread to other tortoises.
Hi guys. Unfortunately because we have no locality on him letting him go is not an option. As some of the previous replies correctly stated we have no idea how long he has been in captivity or if he could potentially spread diseases to other wild tortoises. There is also the problem of genetic pollution, they are a wide spread species in South Africa and he may not even be from our Province. Either way he has been rehomed with someone who is able to give him everything he needs.
They are beautiful tortoises he was still fairly young probably about 25cm long and weighing a little under a Kilogram. I would have loved to have kept him but currently don't have the space. We confiscated him because it is illegal to trade in any native wildlife without a permit. They are often used in the muti trade and some cultures even believe they bring good luck to your home if kept close by. The tortoise then has a hole drilled through his shell and is secured with a piece of wire or rope so that he doesn't wander to far away. Changing cultural beliefs is very difficult.
At least this guy has ended up in a good home.
They are beautiful tortoises he was still fairly young probably about 25cm long and weighing a little under a Kilogram. I would have loved to have kept him but currently don't have the space. We confiscated him because it is illegal to trade in any native wildlife without a permit. They are often used in the muti trade and some cultures even believe they bring good luck to your home if kept close by. The tortoise then has a hole drilled through his shell and is secured with a piece of wire or rope so that he doesn't wander to far away. Changing cultural beliefs is very difficult.
At least this guy has ended up in a good home.
What part of South Africa are you and this tortoise in? It looks exactly like the ones we have here, and I'd find it interesting to know where you picked him up, even if he might not be from there. Does it resemble the local ones in your area?
Is there much captive breeding in your area? Is that allowed? Does a person need a permit to captive breed and sell them there? How does it all work? When I was in SA I met a few casual backyard (garden) tortoise keepers, but none of them really knew or understood the laws about any of it.
Is there much captive breeding in your area? Is that allowed? Does a person need a permit to captive breed and sell them there? How does it all work? When I was in SA I met a few casual backyard (garden) tortoise keepers, but none of them really knew or understood the laws about any of it.
Hi Tom
I'm in the Eastern Cape. Leopard tortoises are possibly the most commonly kept species in South Africa. We are required to have a permit to keep or transport any wild reptile species. As he is a leopard tortoise he would look exactly like the ones we get in our Province. This species is regularly bred in captivity and babies are often available. I thought you guys in the States mainly got G. pardalis babcoki and that true pardalis pardalis were a little rarer there?
I'm in the Eastern Cape. Leopard tortoises are possibly the most commonly kept species in South Africa. We are required to have a permit to keep or transport any wild reptile species. As he is a leopard tortoise he would look exactly like the ones we get in our Province. This species is regularly bred in captivity and babies are often available. I thought you guys in the States mainly got G. pardalis babcoki and that true pardalis pardalis were a little rarer there?
MichaelB said:
OH true Pardalis pardalis are rare and highly sought after! I think Tom got a shipment a couple of years back and they where distributed about the Forum.... they occationally have picks go up to show us all how they are doing.... in fact, it just about that time again... hint hint
MichaelB said:
Well funny you mention that... We regularly have discussions/debates on the status of leopard tortoise types over here. I'll break it down as best I can: It seems the scientists have now decided that there is only one species of leopard tortoise, no subspecies, and the wild population consists of 11 "clades" from the various areas where they occur in the wild. At least this is how it stands until the next guy comes along and re-does it all again...
So over here we have two types, but its not that simple. For many years people have just kept leopards from the various parts of the range together and let them interbreed. If someone over here has what we have for decades called the "babcocki" type, it could be a genetically related mix of leopards from all over the range, or it could be from someone who hasn't mixed them and a true pure strain from one geographical areas, or it could be a mix of both some of the babcocki types and the pardalis pardalis types. The second type we have over here is the "South African" type, or what we have all referred to for decades as "Geochelone pardalis pardalis". First the scientific types changed the genus to "Stigmochelys", then they did away with the subspecies designation. In any case we have a population over here that look just like the picture of your confiscated one, and are likely from the same geographical range, although I can't verify this. These "Gpp" as I still erroneously refer to them have been bred pure by some people over here in the states and not mixed with other leopards that were imported from other parts of the range.
So in short, there is only one species of leopard and no subspecies. If someone over here has the "babcocki" type, it could be something pure from east Africa, a mix of many types, or a mix of the smaller types and the South African types. If someone over here has the true "pardalis pardalis" type it is generally going to be a captive bred baby similar, if not the same, as the one you depicted. This Gpp type is what I have. They are all out of a group of direct South African imports form 1990. The guy I got them from bought a bunch of these imports, brought them home, and has never mixed them with any other type of tortoise. It is a pretty special and unique situation. I think the vast majority of Gpp in this country have come from this one man at some point or other. I have met some other breeders of Gpp around the country and each of them told me their original stock came from the same guy that I got mine from. They just got theirs 15 or 20 years ago and I just got mine in 2010.
You can see pics of mine here: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-56643.html
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