ID this wild tort....

[steelrumor]

I was in south africa recently on a hunt and found this guy while returning to camp. Anyone have a clue what he is? He barely even cared that I was there went back to grazing right after I took the picture.

 

[wellington]

Looking like a sulcata, but I have no idea if there are any other wild species that resembles a sulcata.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

~ Looks like the leopard species and beautiful at that!

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

100% sure thats a leopard tortoise.

 

[Len B]

100% sure thats a leopard tortoise.

I agree

 

[steelrumor]

I honestly couldn't get over how smooth he or she was..

 

[Elohi]

Leopard...and holy moley!

 

[Yvonne G]

Definitely a leopard with a pair of the biggest front legs I've ever seen on a leopard tortoise!

 

[steelrumor]

There was another just shell i had found on this same property that was the same size if not larger. sorry i didn't take a picture of that one. I was about an hour outside of east london. something like six thousand acres i this particular area.

 

[wellington]

I do see the specks now that everyone is saying leopard. The legs Yvonne mentioned is what made me think a sulcata.

 

[Elohi]

The legs and leg scales are ginormous. Incredible animal.

 

[mchong9606]

Any guesses how large this leopard is? He's a looker!

 

[Tom]

South African leopards tend to not be shy like other varieties. I'm not surprised he didn't care about your presence. I saw some down on the Cape in the nature preserve and they were practically pushing me out of their way as they passed.

@steelrumor Tell us please, what is the humidity and rainfall like there when you snapped this pic. Surely it must be bone dry like a desert at all times like the books say, right?

Oh yeah, and what are you hunting? Watch out for sneaky puff adders and lounging Cape buffalo.

 

[Tom]

Double post.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Tell us please, what is the humidity and rainfall like there when you snapped this pic. Surely it must be bone dry like a desert at all times like the books say, right?

@Tom are you being just a little tiny bit sarcastic? I knew I liked your posts for some reason other than content.

 

[Tom]

@Tom are you being just a little tiny bit sarcastic? I knew I liked your posts for some reason other than content.

Well I'm just glad that you found the content likable too!

 

[Neal]

Good specimen. I think most leopard types will display some personality, so it's not a surprise this one was not phased by your presence.

 

[steelrumor]

Sorry to throw a wrench in the mix there Tom but actually yeah i was in the high desert. During their winter season they don't get quite a bit of rain in the area I was at so I'm not quite sure on the humidity though for the rest of the year. It was hanging around a watering hole when i found it however.

As for what I hunted a few things here and there nothing too crazy.. No lions with names or anything like that.