Big leopard tortoise

TammyJ

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Jun 21, 2016
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Jamaica
Too big for what?

Anyway he is gorgeous.
 

TheLastGreen

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Aug 3, 2021
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Johannesburg
Yes he is gorgeous, I have set up a habitat for a baby, and I am in the process of preparing a habitat for once it gets larger, so I can't accommodate him.
 

TammyJ

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Jun 21, 2016
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Jamaica
And it's legal to buy and sell them there?
 

TheLastGreen

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Aug 3, 2021
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Johannesburg
Well no. The law states that all 12 of the native species of tortoises are illegal to be kept without a permit. Permit being one to transport and one to own, until you have the formal permit the transport will do. Permits cost about R350 ($30) all together.
You can only get tortoises from zoo's (recent sagas of illegal selling from the Johannesburg zoo, has made the zoo reluctant to go with the process of relocating confiscated tortoises). So most people have tortoises which wander into their yards, and if you know someone which have tortoises that breed, they can give you a hatchling. In some circumstances if you had a tortoise for around 5 years without the documents, you can apply to get the documents as if legal.
So currently it is at a standstill, the laws are understandable, but with some tortoises like leopard tortoises with a large population, it doesn't really make sense why they wouldn't allow responsible cb and husbandry.
The law is so strict it goes almost the other way forbiding captive breeding for endangered species and hurting their conservation efforts.
So it is extremely difficult to get a tort. Almost impossible legaly
 
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