Leopard Tortoise
Leopard TortoiseLeopard TortoiseLeopard TortoiseLeopard Tortoise

Leopard Tortoise

Stigmochelys pardalis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
49 Verified records at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis) is a large and attractively marked tortoise found in the savannas of eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan to the southern Cape Province. It is the only extant member of the genus Stigmochelys, although in the past, it was commonly placed in Geochelone. This tortoise is a grazing species that favors semiarid, thorny to grassland habitats. In both very hot and very cold weather, it may dwell in abandoned fox, jackal, or aardvark burrows. The leopard tortoise does not dig other than to make nests in which to lay eggs. Given its propensity for grassland habitats, it grazes extensively upon mixed grasses. Wikipedia →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Leopard Tortoise sighting in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, based on 49 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park

Eastern Hinged-Back Tortoise

Eastern Hinged-Back Tortoise

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Kinixys zombensis

20–30% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
30–40
Feb
30–40
Mar
30–40
Apr
10–20
May
30–40
Jun
10–20
Jul
5–10
Aug
40–50
Sep
20–30
Oct
30–40
Nov
30–40
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
60–70%
2 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
40–50%
3 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
40–50%
4 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
40–50%
5 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
6 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
7 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
8 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
30–40%
9 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
30–40%
10 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
11 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
12 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
13 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
30–40%
14 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
15 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
20–30%
16 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
17 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
20–30%
18 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
19 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
20 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
21 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
22 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
10–20%
23 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
24 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
25 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
10–20%
26 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
27 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
28 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
29 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
30 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
31 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
32 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
33 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
34 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
35 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
36 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Leopard Tortoise in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park?

About 31% of wildlife watchers report a Leopard Tortoise sighting in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, based on 49 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Leopard Tortoise in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Leopard Tortoise in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in our monthly data.

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