Spring has sprung in South Africa

Spring has sprung, our newly formed preserve is in bloom, and the tortoises are out. The Turtle Conservancy is the proud new owner of a 212-acre property in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, which will be turned into a preserve to save the Geometric Tortoise, the world’s most endangered tortoise. This tortoise is under imminent threat of extinction, with fewer than 1,000 left in the wild. The fast diminishing ecosystem that it relies on is found nowhere else on the planet and is considered to be more botanically diverse than the richest tropical rainforest in South America. The preservation of this land is critical for the survival of the tortoise and of all of its rich biodiversity. We are under purchase agreement to buy two adjacent parcels of land, which we will combine with the first parcel to create the Geometric Tortoise Preserve. The purchase of this land is the last line of defense to save the Geometric Tortoise from extinction and to protect its habitat forever.

We have so many generous supporters to thank for their contributions toward the purchase of this land, including The Rainforest Trust, Andrew Sabin Family Foundation, Frankel Family Foundation, and Michael Zilkha. We also thank the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund for awarding a grant that will be put toward the management of the preserve. There are countless others whose generosity makes our work to protect threatened turtles and tortoises and their habitats possible. Thank you!