Still wiping the sleep from my eyes, I was woken up by the sudden sound of three dogs viciously barking and growling outside my window. This can't be good I thought to myself as I spill into my shoes on the way out the door.
This sound of the barking dogs is a familiar one, one that they only utter in the case of imminent danger or threat. Tired, but vigilant I make my way to the safety gate. I shake my shoulders out for a second to get the body ready for action before I open the steel safety gate. I am ready for whatever lurks on the other side.
The dogs notice me for a second, then return their aggressive force to the threat. I pause for a moment and realize what's going on... Get away from him I yelled with all the authority I could conjure up and I headed in the direction of the dogs. My pace increases with every step as I wave my arms in the air like a lunatic.
Slowly the dogs with an incredible "WTF" expressions took a step back and focused their attention on me. Out of breath, I held up one hand in the sit command position, and all three dogs still perplexed but obedient sat down immediately.
What initially seemed like a life-and-death situation unfolding outside my window, turned out to be a bewildered leopard tortoise (which posed absolutely no threat at all) that took a wrong turn and ended up in my garden.
With the dogs at bay, I swooped in and removed the tortoise from his unfortunate situation. And luckily the handsomely marked leopard tortoise escaped without a scratch. And I released him to safety shortly after.
Leopard tortoises used to be a common site around this area. But unfortunately, like many other creatures in the African bushveld, they are often sourced as food amongst local tribes, who cook them alive in their shell before eating them. Sadly the leopard tortoise has no defense when it comes to humans, and the population as such has drastically decreased over time.
Leopard tortoises are the 4th largest tortoise in the world, but sadly I haven't seen a large one in many, many years. In fact, this was the first leopard tortoise I found on the farm in over seven years, and I can't help but wonder if this juvenile will make it to adulthood.
Although we do everything in our power to counter illegal poaching of any kind on the farm neither law nor governance is in favor of landowner rights in this country at the moment. Deer game and other animals are often snared or captured illegally, and although this little tortoise has no monetary value as trading stock, game breeders often suffer millions of rands in losses due to poaching with little to no repercussions on poachers from a legal standpoint.
It saddens me to see what this country has become.
I was still very happy to have the opportunity to see one of these again. I mean, just look at the gorgeous markings on the shell of this gorgeous creature. Intricately camouflaged to blend in with its bushveld surroundings, each platelet is continuously framed in markings as distinct as the human fingerprint.
Below you can see the little tortoise moving along its merry way after being released. I really hope that I get to see him again one day.
