In the Western Cape province of South Africa, conservationists are employing an unlikely ally in the quest to protect the critically endangered geometric tortoises: dogs. Trained border collies, like Delta, are being used to sniff out these reptiles, helping researchers track and study the species.
Delta’s handler, Esther Matthew, a conservation officer for the Endangered Wildlife Trust, explained that the organisation uses canines to locate the endangered species by “building positive association with the tortoises’ odour” and rewarding Delta with a foam frisbee. “Dogs are five times more effective than humans at this type of search and also help us find the smaller tortoises which are often overlooked, the hatchlings and the juveniles,” Matthew said. “We’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of finds with the dogs”.
The geometric tortoise, found only in South Africa’s Western Cape province, is on the verge of extinction. According to biologist Andrew Turner, who works for the conservation authority Cape Nature, the species’ population was already as low as 1,500 individuals in the wild in the early 1990s. It is now estimated at only several hundred animals, with declines observed across the entire remaining range of this species.
On a private nature reserve near Cape Town, Delta and Matthew, assisted by colleagues searching the bushes with sticks, found a dozen of the hardy reptiles. “We record all the tortoises we can find, all the data, measurements and weight,” Matthew explained. The goal is to gather enough information to prevent critical biodiversity areas from being lost to unsustainable land use.
The Endangered Wildlife Trust is working to protect the geometric tortoise by building partnerships with landowners and communities living in the animals’ habitat. “The biggest thing is… creating corridors where species can work through,” said Zanne Brink, who leads the organisation’s dry lands conservation programme. This approach aims to connect fragmented patches of vegetation, allowing tortoises to disperse and rescue other populations.
Habitat destruction and fragmentation pose significant threats to the geometric tortoise’s survival. Urbanization, agriculture, and infrastructure development have reduced the species’ natural habitat, making it challenging for tortoises to find suitable areas to live and breed. Climate change exacerbates these issues, leading to more frequent and intense droughts, fires, and storms.
Conservationists stress that immediate action is necessary to protect the geometric tortoise. “They are down to such small levels that they actually need as much assistance as they can get,” Turner said. By working with landowners, communities, and using innovative approaches like trained dogs, conservationists hope to stabilize and eventually increase the population of this critically endangered species.
The geometric tortoise’s plight highlights the broader challenges facing South Africa’s biodiversity. The country is home to numerous endemic species found nowhere else on Earth, and protecting these unique ecosystems is crucial for maintaining global biodiversity. As conservation efforts continue, the partnership between humans and dogs like Delta offers a promising approach to safeguarding the geometric tortoise’s future.