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Animal Guide

Leopard Tortoise

53 destinations · 26 states

Native Range
Eastern and southern Africa

The leopard tortoise is a quiet grazer, but its beautifully patterned shell makes it worth slowing down for a closer look. Each scute is marked with yellow and black patterns that can vary noticeably from one tortoise to another, almost like fingerprints in shell form. Watch one move across an exhibit and you'll notice how steadily it picks its way through grass and low vegetation, using its strong legs to navigate uneven ground. These tortoises spend much of their time feeding, and their high-fiber diet is well suited to the grasses and plants of their African range. On hot days, they may seek shelter or become less active during the hottest part of the day. Unlike some tortoises, leopard tortoises do not have a hinged shell for closing themselves in, so their sturdy shell and careful behavior are their main defenses. They can also live for many decades. A resting tortoise may look motionless at first, but watch the head, eyes, and feet. Small movements often reveal that it is quietly keeping track of everything around it.

Leopard Tortoise

Where to see Leopard Tortoise

53 destinations across 26 states

53 destinations

Abilene Zoo

Abilene, TX

Austin Zoo

Austin, TX

Brevard Zoo

Melbourne, FL

Bronx Zoo

Bronx, NY

Brookfield Zoo

Riverside, IL

Caldwell Zoo

Tyler, TX

Cape May County Park & Zoo

Cape May Court House, NJ

Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens

Sanford, FL

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Cleveland, OH

Clyde Peeling's Reptiland

Allenwood, PA

Cohanzick Zoo

Bridgeton, NJ

David Traylor Zoo of Emporia

Emporia, KS

Dickerson Park Zoo

Springfield, MO

Ellen Trout Zoo

Lufkin, TX

Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo

Rome, NY

Frank Buck Zoo

Gainesville, TX

Great Plains Zoo

Sioux Falls, SD

Gulf Breeze Zoo

Gulf Breeze, FL

Honolulu Zoo

Honolulu, HI

Idaho Falls Zoo

Idaho Falls, ID

Iguanaland

Punta Gorda, FL

Indianapolis Zoo

Indianapolis, IN

Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium

Kansas City, MO

Keystone Safari

Grove City, PA

Lehigh Valley Zoo

Schnecksville, PA

Lincoln Children's Zoo

Lincoln, NE

Memphis Zoo

Memphis, TN

Micke Grove Zoo

Lodi, CA

Minnesota Zoo

Apple Valley, MN

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

Naples, FL

NEW Zoo & Adventure Park

Green Bay, WI

North Georgia Wildlife Park & Safari

Cleveland, GA

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

Omaha, NE

Phoenix Zoo

Phoenix, AZ

Plumpton Park Zoo

Rising Sun, MD

Reid Park Zoo

Tucson, AZ

Saginaw Children's Zoo

Saginaw, MI

San Francisco Zoo

San Francisco, CA

Santa Barbara Zoo

Santa Barbara, CA

Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo

Gainesville, FL

Scovill Zoo

Decatur, IL

Southwick's Zoo

Mendon, MA

Summerfield Zoo

Belvidere, IL

Tanganyika Wildlife Park

Goddard, KS

The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens

Palm Desert, CA

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk

Norwalk, CT

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

Baltimore, MD

Topeka Zoo

Topeka, KS

Utah's Hogle Zoo

Salt Lake City, UT

Virginia Zoo

Norfolk, VA

Wild Adventures

Valdosta, GA

Wilderness Trails Zoo

Birch Run, MI

Wildwood Wildlife Park Zoo & Safari

Minocqua, WI

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