Leopard Tortoise

Stigmochelys pardalis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Cordats)
ClassTestudines
FamilyTestudinidae (Tortoises)
GenusStigmochelys
SpeciesStigmochelys pardalis (Leopard Tortoise)

Insufficient data

overall probability at Mana Pools National Park

3 Verified records at Mana Pools National Park

☀️ 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 →

Closest Relatives at Mana Pools National Park

Kinixys spekii

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of Leopard Tortoise at Mana Pools National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ When They're Spotted

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

☀️Diurnal

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

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