Leopard tortoises (definite introduction)
Leopard tortoises The carapace is high, domed, and often humped. The skin color is often creamy yellow, the carapace is marked with black freckles and black stripes, and each turtle also has its own unique pattern. The leopard tortoise is the fourth largest tortoise species in the world.
A typical adult turtle can reach 46 centimeters in length and weigh 18 kilograms. There have also been records of leopard tortoises reaching 70 centimeters in length and weighing up to 54 kg, with a shell length of 61 cm. A leopard tortoise with a body length of 100 centimeters was found in Ethiopia. This is a common case. In addition, under very common circumstances, leopard tortoises that live in high-humidity tropical rainforests such as Sudan can reach 45 inches in length.
Leopard tortoises have two recognized subspecies;
1. Western leopard tortoise (Geochelonepardalis pardalis)
This subspecies is not too common either in captivity or in the wilderness. It is important. Scattered in South Africa, living in small areas in western South Africa and southern Namibia. It is characterized by dark shell color. Male turtles of this subspecies are larger than females, and turtles are generally larger than those of another subspecies.
2. Eastern leopard tortoise (Geochelonepardalis babcocki)
It is the most common subspecies and is widely distributed in Ethiopia and South Africa. The important shell colors are yellow and black, and generally the body size will be smaller than that of another subspecies (except for the giant turtle species in Ethiopia and Somalia). The male turtles of this subspecies will be smaller than the females. Except that adults of this subspecies have more hump. The two subspecies can be distinguished by their color when young. The babcocki has black spots and a center line on the center plate, while the pardalis has a horizontal one.line.
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