Save our tortoises!

The tortoise is a reptile that lives on land. South Africa has 13 species of tortoise and eight are found in the Western Cape alone.

Tortoises are very slow, so they struggle to move away from danger when crossing busy roads or when there is a fire. The geometric tortoise is endangered, which means it is at risk of becoming extinct (dying out). It eats very specific plants, so when farmers use a tortoise’s home for farming, it can’t find the food it needs.

How can you help?

• Tortoises are wild animals and generally do not make good pets.
• If you find a tortoise in the middle of a road, pick it up and place it safely in the direction it was moving.
• If you find a tortoise on its back, turn it over onto its feet and allow it to walk away.
• Tortoises like to be alone, so if you find one by itself that does not mean it is lost.