Tortoise Conservation South Africa

Since the age of 7, our founder, Dirk Barnard, has had a passion for reptiles, especially Tortoises and chameleons. These often misunderstood animals are special in South Africa, as we are blessed with the most tortoise species in the world, 13 species and many different, undescribed Chameleon species. 25 years later, and the struggle for these animals still continues, as we have identified working on farms and in rural communities. The struggle with tortoises is that they are commonly kept as "pets" in captivity within South Africa and fed "fridge food", which, in turn, makes them sick, and then, in many cases, they are released, spreading disease to previously healthy ecosystems. Educating the public is a slow process and very time-demanding, but a crucial step in helping our wildlife. As mentioned, South Africa has the most diverse range of tortoise species on earth, but there is not one designated facility within South Africa that focuses on tortoises alone. We hope to change this. Our ultimate goal is to buy land, where we can propose a section to make a monthly income, and another section which can be used to create three sectors. An educational centre, an endangered species centre and a rehabilitation centre. A portion of the land will need to be allocates in growing tortoise-safe foods. This is easier said than done, with various fundraising activities having taken place, but the end result is that, unfortunately, people focus more on "fur animals" such as domestic dogs and cats or the big 5, and very little light is given to reptiles. We are a registered non-profit and PBO based in the Western Cape, South Africa. We love the work we do, but we cannot do it without your support.