The Crocworld Conservation Centre has launched a competition inviting the public to help name a uniquely resilient three-legged leopard tortoise that has recently found a new home among the centre’s diverse inhabitants.
This special tortoise, having bravely overcome the challenges of rehabilitation, is now forming bonds with fellow creatures, including another three-legged tortoise, at the Scottburgh-based centre.
The initiative aims not only to integrate the tortoise into the Crocworld family more formally but also to offer an opportunity for animal lovers to contribute creatively. Participants stand a chance to win tickets for a family of four to visit the centre and meet its many fascinating residents.
James Wittstock, manager of Crocworld Conservation Centre, shared the tortoise’s history, revealing that the creature had been discovered at Umkomaas Golf Course with significant injuries.
“Thanks to the efforts of uShaka Sea World, where it received critical care including amputation, the tortoise is now thriving in its new environment. He’s adjusted wonderfully and has even befriended another tortoise who shares his tripod status,” Mr Wittstock noted, expressing optimism about the tortoise’s future at Crocworld.
Leopard tortoises are notable for their distinctive spotted shells and represent one of the largest tortoise species worldwide. Their nature makes them most active during the cooler parts of the da – dawn and dusk – and they sustain themselves on a diet of grasses and fruits. The leopard tortoise is celebrated as part of Africa’s “Little Five,” alongside the elephant shrew, red-billed buffalo weaver, antlion, and rhino beetle, highlighting the continent’s rich biodiversity.
The competition, hosted on Crocworld’s Facebook page, encourages the public to submit name suggestions for the new tortoise.
Crocworld Conservation Centre is renowned for its commitment to preserving wildlife, housing an array of reptiles, including the world-famous Henry the Nile crocodile, and the critically endangered Durban Dwarf Burrowing Skink, among others. The centre is surrounded by indigenous coastal forest, providing sanctuary to over 200 bird species and several antelope species, emphasizing its role in the conservation and study of diverse ecosystems.
As a member of Species360, Crocworld contributes to global conservation data, supporting efforts against extinction through its on-site breeding programmes aimed at enhancing the genetic diversity of threatened species.
