Insights into the Diet and Movement of the Kenyan Leopard Tortoise

Abstract

Diet and movement patterns of the African leopard tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis were studied in central Kenya from June 2018 to February 2019. Diet was found to differ drastically from conspecific populations in South Africa and Tanzania, suggesting leopard tortoises deserve reclassification as browsers. Tortoises were found to feed in a discrete and highly dissimilar niche when related to surveyed large mammalian herbivores in Kenya, feeding mainly on Fabaceae. Kenyan leopard tortoise movement was highly variable, but consistent with observations of other populations across the continent. Analysis of home range size found a strong negative correlation with rainfall, confirming a speculated trend in species’ movement. Analysis of individual-level variation suggests that tortoises may provide a unique opportunity to pursue ecological analyses at a new resolution – given the unprecedented ability to reliably relocate and test individuals.