VulnerableCommon Tortoise
Testudo graeca
One of the 41 turtles and tortoises on WAnimals
Reptiles · Testudines · Testudinidae
Malacochersus tornieri
At extremely high risk of imminent extinction in the wild.
The pancake tortoise, also known as the crevice tortoise, is a flat-shelled tortoise of the family Testudinidae native to Tanzania and Kenya. Its range may extend into Zambia according to Chansa and Wagner (2006). Its name comes from the flat shape of its shell and it is the only member of the genus Malacochersus.
Weight
400 g – 700 g
Size
15 cm – 18 cm
Life expectancy
35 years
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Very hard
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malacochersus_tornieri
Best time: All year round on the rocky outcrops of Kenya and Tanzania, in mid-morning; faced with danger it wedges itself into the crevices and inflates so that it cannot be pulled out.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 10 of 14.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Pancake Tortoise — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The pancake tortoise is classified as critically endangered. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 9 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Based on what we already know about pancake tortoise.
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The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.
