This archive report was first published on 1 November 2019.
On November 1, 2019, a team of scientists from the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and the National Museum of Kenya made a groundbreaking discovery in the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.
A preliminary assessment carried out at the conservancy revealed a small population of critically endangered pancake tortoises, with seven individuals found during the exercise.
The discovery extends the distribution range of the species in Kenya, with past studies showing the distribution of tortoises in Kenya lies within the arid and semi-arid corridor from Marsabit County southwards to Kitui County.
Pancake tortoises are highly valued for international pet trade, and the researchers noted that the distribution of the species is restricted and patchy.
“The tortoise population was recorded from four out of 14 potential sites identified during the assessment,” said the researchers in a statement.
The head of conservation at Lewa, Geoffrey Chege, emphasized the need for a long-term conservation strategy for pancake tortoises and other reptiles and amphibians on the conservancy.
“Even though this discovery is significant partly due to the protection status of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, this population is rather isolated and there is a need for further studies to determine its viability,” Chege noted.
The pancake species is among the six land tortoises mostly found in East Africa, with populations also recorded in Tanzania and Zambia.
However, the species continues to face exploitation for international pet trade, and the researchers observed that live animal collection is the biggest threat to the tortoise.
Habitat degradation from rock destruction, deforestation, and cultivation are also major threats to the species.
Recently, the 18th Conference of Parties of CITES adopted a proposal for the listing of the pancake tortoise in Appendix I, which includes species threatened with extinction.
