Three gentle giants, moving at their own slow and steady pace, now face a challenging road to recovery. Their plight stems from the greed of poachers who were thwarted just in time – saving two Leopard Tortoises from becoming bushmeat and rescuing the smallest from being sold into the illegal pet trade. Yet, all is not lost for this remarkable trio, thanks to the tireless efforts of the wildlife heroes at WHWF.
Limpopo, South Africa (03 January 2025) – Three majestic Leopard Tortoises whose peaceful lives were rudely disrupted by greedy poachers have found solace at the Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation (WHWF) as part of successful confiscations by nature conservation and security officials.
According to WHWF, the two bigger males were poached to be eaten as bushmeat and the smaller male was poached for selling into the illegal Wildlife and Pet Trade for a meagre R1,000.
“The road to freedom for these little ones often takes many years, so it is more than just a short span of their free lives that is stolen when they are poached from the wild.
“When they’re kept as pets, it is often impossible to correct the damage done due to incorrect foods fed for years. Lettuce doesn’t cut it,” shares WHWF Co-founder, Carina Crayton.
She further explained that not only is it illegal to keep a Leopard Tortoise as a pet without a permit in South Africa, but that the trade of these creatures, of all sizes, is perhaps the most under-acknowledged portion of the illegal wildlife trade.
Thankfully, this fortunate trio is in the trusted care of wildlife heroes who will do all they can to ensure they are kept safe and sound from cunning poachers and unscrupulous illegal traders.
“We love being able to give these beauties another chance at a wild and free life. It takes effort and money to correct their diets and to ensure they are parasite and disease-free,” Carina added.
To support WHWF’s incredible wildlife conservation efforts email wildheartwildlife@gmail.com or visit wildheartwildlifefoundation.org
Sources: Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation
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