Plants eaten and dispersed by adult leopard tortoises Geochelone pardalis (Reptilia: Chelonii) in the southern Karoo

Abstract

Leopard tortoise Geochelone pardalis faeces collected in rocky habitats in the southern Karoo contained at least 75 species of grasses, succulents and forbs belonging to 26 plant families. Soft, green plants were broken down by digestion but twigs, thorns and fibrous naterials were not digested. Flowers, fruits and seeds made up 67% of 356 identified plant fragments. Germination trials demonstrated that leopard tortoises could disperse viable seeds of Aizoaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Crassulaceae, Cyperaceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae and Scrophulariaceae.