Successful Tortoise Survey in South Africa
About 800 mature Critically Endangered Geometric Tortoises (Psammobates geometricus) are thought to remain in the wild. Recently, a survey around the site Rainforest Trust supports along with the Turtle Conservancy and South African Tortoise Conservation Trust found 72 mature tortoises in four hours.
Doing the math, that’s about 9 percent of the entire population.
Seen in four hours.
A PARROT-BEAKED PADLOPER. PHOTO BY JAMES JUVIK – TURTLE CONSERVANCY.
Other than the Geometric Tortoises, the team spotted a Parrot-beaked Padloper (Homopus areolatus) and two Angulate Tortoises (Chersina angulata). In addition, a Common Genet (Genetta genetta) showed up on a nighttime camera trap photo.
A COMMON GENET SHOWED UP ON A CAMERA TRAP PHOTO. PHOTO BY JAMES JUVIK – TURTLE CONSERVANCY.