This archive report was first published on 30 October 2019.
On October 30, 2019, a groundbreaking discovery was made at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Meru county, Kenya. A small population of the critically endangered Pancake tortoise has been found, marking the first-ever recorded occurrence of the species in the area.
Seven Pancake tortoises were discovered during the assessment, which was a joint effort between scientists from Lewa and the National Museum of Kenya. The discovery extends the distribution range of the species in Kenya, with past studies showing that the distribution of the tortoise in Kenya lies within the arid and semi-arid corridor from Marsabit County southwards to Kitui County.
The Pancake tortoise, scientifically known as Malacochersus tornieri, is a unique species found in East Africa. It is small in size, flattened dorsoventrally, and has a flexible soft-shelled that allows it to live in narrow rock crevices.
The discovery of the Pancake tortoise population at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy highlights the need for a long-term conservation strategy for the species and other herpetofauna on the conservancy. The Head of Conservation and Wildlife, Mr. Geoffrey Chege, emphasized the importance of further studies to determine the viability of the isolated population.
The Pancake tortoise is currently listed as Critically Endangered (CR) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The main threats to the species include live animal collection for international pet trade, habitat degradation from rock destruction, deforestation, and cultivation.
International trade in the tortoise is now prohibited except under exceptional circumstances, such as research purposes, following a recent proposal adopted by the 18th Conference of Parties of CITES.
