Chersobius solus

Chersobius solus, commonly known as the Nama padloper or Berger's cape tortoise, is a species of tortoise in the Chersobius ("padloper") genus.[2][3][4] It is endemic to Namibia.

Chersobius solus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Chersobius
Species:
C. solus
Binomial name
Chersobius solus
Branch, 2007
Synonyms
  • Homopus solus Branch, 2007
  • Homopus bergeri Lindholm, 1906
  • Homopus boulengeri Mertens, 1955

The species is threatened by traffic on roads, habitat destruction, and poaching for the pet trade. As the trade in collected Chersobius species is strictly illegal and any captive specimens are systematically registered in noncommercial studbooks in South Africa and Namibia, any commercial sale of Chersobius tortoises is almost without exception strictly illegal. Another threat comes from introduced species, such as domestic dogs and pigs.

The species does not generally survive well in captivity unless some effort is made to supply specimens with their natural food, that is, endemic plants from the Cape/Karoo regions.[5]

References
  1. Branch, W.R. 2018. Chersobius solus (amended version of 1996 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T10238A125807053. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T10238A125807053.en. Downloaded on 28 November 2018.
  2. Homopus solus, Namibia Biodiversity Database, retrieved 30 June 2013.
  3. Homopus Research Foundation website, retrieved 1 July 2013.
  4. Chersobius solus, The Reptile Database
  5. Corton, M., Homopus (Padloper Tortoise) Care, World Chelonian Trust (retrieved August 20, 2013).


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