Tortoise identify please

kmloughran

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Hello from Uganda. We’re in Murchison Falls National Park and saw this little guy crossing the road this afternoon. Any idea what kind of tortoise it is? Is it a young leopard? Looked to be approx 4-5 lbs.
A5ED7C2E-0EDA-4957-86E9-10F6CFCF2EFD.jpeg
 

Tom

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I can't say for sure from the one pic, but it sure looks like it could be a leopard. Might be one of the hinge backs too.
 

juli11

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This looks like Kinixys spekii. I saw a presentation about reptiles from Uganda and the K. Spekii look like the one on your photo.
 

kmloughran

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Only other shot we got before we get home and can download from the “nice” camera.

Thanks for the responses!

E2A916A3-188B-46BA-8217-0A45CEE0E853.jpeg
 

2turtletom

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My best guess is that this might be a true Belliana belliana. It’s shell is much too domed for a Speke’s, and Speke’s do not make it far north enough to be in Uganda. Zombensis live much further east, and so that leaves true Kinixys belliana belliana.
 

Sleppo

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It's nice seeing one in the wild, thanks for sharing.
Seems like the only turtle/tort I ever see are the nastiest snapping turtles I've rescued off the road back when I lived in the country. They are a bunch of unappreciative jerks! :)
 

TammyJ

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So we still don't know what it is, do we?:confused:
 

2turtletom

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No it’s Kinixys Spekii

I must respectfully disagree with your identification of Kinixys spekii. The shell is much too domed for a Speke’s, and Speke’s do not make it far north enough to be in Uganda. Zombensis live much further east, and so that leaves true Kinixys belliana belliana.
 

2turtletom

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Hingeback ID throwdown!!!

*cite your sources ;)
Well, you can count me as a source- I've been studying the genus Kinixys since 1994. But the bible of Kinixys was written by David Mifsud. All of the evidence I'm sighting above can be further explored in the Kinixys Conservation Blueprint, available here: http://www.asianturtleprogram.org/pages/resources/Kinixys_Conservation_Blueprint_2014/Kinixys Conservation Blueprint HRM 2014.pdf

On page 36 begins the account of true Kinixys belliana. In addition to the fact that this animal has a domed shell, Mifsud states on page 39 "Uganda: The species is likely to occur throughout the entire country. Observations have been recorded from Eastern, Northern, and Western Regions (Spawls et al. 2002)."

As we know, you saw this animal in Uganda at Murchison Falls National Park. This clearly matches the known range of Kinixys belliana belliana from the Northern and Western regions of Uganda.

Kinixys spekii's account begins on page 48. It's range map is on page 49. The pink coloration that represents the range of Kinixys spekii does not coincide with the country of Uganda, which is where you were visiting. In the range description, many countries are mentioned in eastern/southeastern Africa. Uganda is not one of them. In fact, Kinixys spekii do not range north or west of Lake Victoria, which your observation was made.

Finally, the biggest reason why it isn't a Speke's is that they have extremely flat shells. They are easy to spot- Mifsud describes the carapace, on page 50 this way: "Flattened, scutes relatively flat with well-defined annuli;" Your animal has a domed carapace, not flattened.

Therefore, I believe that juli11's identification of Kinixys spekii is incorrect.

You observed true Kinixys belliana belliana, which is extremely rare in captivity in the U.S. I have seen no photos of an animal that I believe is Belliana belliana in the U.S. I would LOVE for someone to prove me wrong.

Cheers and happy tortoise watching!

Respectfully submitted,

-Tom
 

kmloughran

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Well, you can count me as a source- I've been studying the genus Kinixys since 1994. But the bible of Kinixys was written by David Mifsud. All of the evidence I'm sighting above can be further explored in the Kinixys Conservation Blueprint, available here: http://www.asianturtleprogram.org/pages/resources/Kinixys_Conservation_Blueprint_2014/Kinixys Conservation Blueprint HRM 2014.pdf

On page 36 begins the account of true Kinixys belliana. In addition to the fact that this animal has a domed shell, Mifsud states on page 39 "Uganda: The species is likely to occur throughout the entire country. Observations have been recorded from Eastern, Northern, and Western Regions (Spawls et al. 2002)."

As we know, you saw this animal in Uganda at Murchison Falls National Park. This clearly matches the known range of Kinixys belliana belliana from the Northern and Western regions of Uganda.

Kinixys spekii's account begins on page 48. It's range map is on page 49. The pink coloration that represents the range of Kinixys spekii does not coincide with the country of Uganda, which is where you were visiting. In the range description, many countries are mentioned in eastern/southeastern Africa. Uganda is not one of them. In fact, Kinixys spekii do not range north or west of Lake Victoria, which your observation was made.

Finally, the biggest reason why it isn't a Speke's is that they have extremely flat shells. They are easy to spot- Mifsud describes the carapace, on page 50 this way: "Flattened, scutes relatively flat with well-defined annuli;" Your animal has a domed carapace, not flattened.

Therefore, I believe that juli11's identification of Kinixys spekii is incorrect.

You observed true Kinixys belliana belliana, which is extremely rare in captivity in the U.S. I have seen no photos of an animal that I believe is Belliana belliana in the U.S. I would LOVE for someone to prove me wrong.

Cheers and happy tortoise watching!

Respectfully submitted,

-Tom
Ooooh!!! That’s a good one.... :) :tort:
 

2turtletom

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