Padloper Tortoise

Common Name: Padloper

Scientific Name: Homopus

Diet: A broad variety of plant species

Overview: The common padloper is a small, rather flat tortoise. Its shell usually has varied colouration, ranging between olive-green and brown.

Reproduction: It lays a clutch of 2–4 eggs, which hatch 150–320 days later – usually on a misty, overcast day

Natural Enemies: Due to its tiny size, this tortoise is heavily preyed on by crows, ostriches, jackals, baboons, dogs, and a wide range of other predators.

Conservation Status and Threats: They are threatened by habitat destruction, traffic on roads, overgrazing, and poaching for the pet trade. Another threat comes from introduced species, such as domestic dogs and pigs.