Can rehabilitated leopard tortoises, Stigmochelys pardalis, be successfully released into the wild?

Published source details Wimberger K., Armstrong A.J. & Downs C.T. (2009) Can rehabilitated leopard tortoises, Stigmochelys pardalis, be successfully released into the wild?. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 8, 173-184.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Rehabilitate and release injured or accidentally caught individuals: Tortoises, terrapins, side-necked & softshell turtles Action Link

Rehabilitate and release injured or accidentally caught individuals: Tortoises, terrapins, side-necked & softshell turtles

A replicated study in 2005–2007 in two savanna sites in northeast South Africa (Wimberger et al. 2009) reported that 22 Babcock’s leopard tortoises Stigmochelys pardalis babcocki from a rehabilitation centre survived for between one and at least 25 months following release in to the wild. One tortoise survived for at least 25 months and two for 13 months. Eight tortoises were found dead 2–17 months following release. Seven were seen alive 1–17 months following release and then not seen again, and 11 were not re-seen at all. Tortoises for the release came from a rehabilitation centre. One had been confiscated from the traditional medicine trade, and the others were escaped pets. Twenty-two tortoises were released (11 males, 11 females) in January 2005, five (3 females, 2 males) in December 2006, and a further two females in February 2007. In total, 17 were fitted with radio trackers. Radio tracked tortoises were located monthly for 10 months after release, and then sporadically up to 25 months after release.

(Summarised by: William Morgan)