Back Home: first successful geographical assignment of rehabilitated leopard tortoises Stigmochelys pardalis using a conservation genetic database

Illegal trade in leopard tortoises Stigmochelys pardalis is widespread, yet the origins of confiscated S. pardalis are often unknown. Accurate assignment to source populations is essential for informed conservation management and release. We expanded and tested a genetic reference database for assigning S. pardalis to their original wild populations in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, and Eswatini. We added 50 newly genotyped wild S. pardalis sampled across these regions to the database and then evaluated the updated database by sampling and assessing 50 S. pardalis of unknown geographic origin held at a rehabilitation centre in KwaZulu-Natal. Genetic assignment indicated that only a single S. pardalis at the rehabilitation-centre may have originated from KwaZulu-Natal, highlighting the extent of illegal trade, translocation, and possession of S. pardalis. Individuals of verified regional origin were subsequently rehabilitated and translocated for soft release at appropriate sites.

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Publication Details

Journal
Conservation Genetics
Published
2026-03-21
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-026-01773-y
Primary Topic
Turtle Biology and Conservation
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Back Home: first successful geographical assignment of rehabilitated leopard tortoises Stigmochelys pardalis using a conservation genetic database

Anna S. Kropff, Antoinette Kotzé, Flora Ihlow, Adrian J. Armstrong et al.
Conservation Genetics
Turtle Biology and Conservation
article

Back Home: first successful geographical assignment of rehabilitated leopard tortoises Stigmochelys pardalis using a conservation genetic database

Anna S. Kropff, Antoinette Kotzé, Flora Ihlow, Adrian J. Armstrong, Sara Padidar, Melita Vamberger, Elishia Goosen, Ara Monadjem, Wade Whitehead
article en

Abstract

Illegal trade in leopard tortoises Stigmochelys pardalis is widespread, yet the origins of confiscated S. pardalis are often unknown. Accurate assignment to source populations is essential for informed conservation management and release. We expanded and tested a genetic reference database for assigning S. pardalis to their original wild populations in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, and Eswatini. We added 50 newly genotyped wild S. pardalis sampled across these regions to the database and then evaluated the updated database by sampling and assessing 50 S. pardalis of unknown geographic origin held at a rehabilitation centre in KwaZulu-Natal. Genetic assignment indicated that only a single S. pardalis at the rehabilitation-centre may have originated from KwaZulu-Natal, highlighting the extent of illegal trade, translocation, and possession of S. pardalis. Individuals of verified regional origin were subsequently rehabilitated and translocated for soft release at appropriate sites.

Conservation GeneticsVol. 27(2)
Leibniz University Hannover (DE), University of Eswatini (SZ), University of the Free State (ZA), South African National Biodiversity Institute (ZA), Scientific Services (ZA), Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden (DE), National Zoological Gardens of South Africa (ZA), Endangered Wildlife Trust (ZA), University of Pretoria (ZA), University of KwaZulu-Natal (ZA)
Life in Land
Openalex Percentile: Top 17%
Turtle Biology and Conservation
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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