Looking for a leopard tortoise

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Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby vsabrie » Wed May 04, 2016 11:10 am

Hallo :smt006

I am looking for a leopard tortoise, where do I start? :smt017 I don't want to "pick one up next to the road".
If anyone want to rehome theirs or knows of someone that does, please let me know I would love to take it.
I'm from Pretoria.

Thanks
Abrie
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby vsabrie » Tue May 10, 2016 6:35 pm

Do I contact environmental affairs or gauteng nature conservation for a permit???
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby immaculate geckos » Tue May 10, 2016 11:08 pm

not sure where to get one but nature conservation will issue the permit but the person you get it from must apply for the transport permit once it arrives you can collect the tortoise and take a copy with you. you should then apply for a captivity permit but the transport permit acts as one till you get it
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby vsabrie » Wed May 11, 2016 10:48 am

Thanks, so let me see if I understand correctly, the zoo or reptile park must apply for a transport permit for me to be able to transport the tortoise from there to my home? And only then do I apply for for a captivity permit? But the zoo or reptile park will only give me a tortoise once I have a permit??? So nature conservation will only issue a permit once I have a tortoise and a zoo or park will only give me a tortoise once I have a permit? No wonder so many people have a tortoise illegally
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby jka » Wed May 11, 2016 12:05 pm

The person/zoo/park applies for a transport permit once it is issued you get a copy. (to transport from the previous owner to you)

You use a copy of the transport permit to apply for a captivity permit, once you apply for the captivity permit Natcon will come and inspect your property.

Once everything is in order they will issue a permit.
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby vsabrie » Thu May 12, 2016 7:35 am

Thanks for the info. I emailed environmental affairs and will post their reply.
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby vsabrie » Fri May 13, 2016 9:27 am

"Please first ask the zoo or the reptile park for a letter recommending that they will grant you a leopard tortoise when you have a permit. Then inform us when you have that letter and we will send you an application form. The letter must be attached to the application when you apply for a keeping permit.
Also check if the zoo or the reptile park that want to supply you with a tortoise has a valid permit to possess the tortoises."

This is what environmental affairs replied to my request
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby vsabrie » Fri May 13, 2016 5:39 pm

Now finding a place that will write me a letter.
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby vsabrie » Mon May 16, 2016 11:27 am

Anyone have email address for johannesburg zoo? Or nzg pta? Or any other place that might be able to assist me??? With such a letter. From what I've read jhb zoo receive anything between 200 to 400 tortoises a jear that has been confiscated from illegal owners, and they are over crowded as is. But their website email thing does not work.

Any help would be appreciated, I'll be joining the THA at their next meeting 27 May, as I've heard that might be the best route to follow.

Thanks
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby vsabrie » Tue May 17, 2016 10:59 am

NZG pta zoo replied to my request for a letter

Many thanks for your email. We cannot give you a letter in support of keeping a tortoise and we do not sell reptiles to the public.

Kind regards,

Angeliné Schwan
Communications Officer
National Zoological Gardens of South Africa
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby jka » Thu May 19, 2016 9:22 am

Maybe Arno can tell us if you need to be part of the THA to own a indigenous tortoise?
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby vsabrie » Thu May 19, 2016 4:08 pm

Another reply from a bird park and zoo just off lynwood raod

Thank you for your email, unfortunately we do not sell tortoises to public, so I will be unable to assist.

Kind Regards,

So according to law if you can source one legally you can get a permit, but according to zoo's you can't source one legally :smt017

Where do I source one legally then???
Feeling a bit frustrated with trying to do the right thing but not getting anywhere. I think it's the worst thing ever to buy one next to the road, but am starting to understand why some people just go for the easy route. Those trying to be legal not getting anywhere and those illegal getting their way. VERY FRUSTRATING

By making it this difficult to be legal, aren't they feulling the illegal trade that's decimating our fragile natural resources.
Well thats my two cents

Really hoping the THA will be able to help me next week friday 27 May. :o as they seem to be my best chance
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby vsabrie » Wed May 25, 2016 9:07 am

The reply from Jhb zoo- we were just informed that we do not sell our animals directly to the public, it has to go through a tender process. Our reptile curator Ian Du Plessis suggests trying the National Zoological Gardens

So overall all the replies are basically the same, -you are welcome to source a legal tortoise just not from any zoo-
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby Ales » Thu May 26, 2016 12:36 pm

A few years ago I applied for a permit for two male leopard tortoises I had, I told them that the tortoises were rescues, and they gave me a permit.

A few months ago I was given two female tortoises from a friend that emigrated. I asked nature conservation if they would give me a permit to keep them as the tortoises were loved by my friend and he wanted a good home for them. I told nature conservation that I'd be keeping the males and females separately but they still came and took them, gave me a fine for having them and they will probably end up being killed. I then asked if they can be adopted by another friend of mine, but it was apparently "too late", I have no idea what that means but it's just a stupid excuse because they're too lazy to do anything more than they have to.
If I had just kept them they would be living happily right now. So I will not be bothering with permits ever again.
What a world....
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Re: Looking for a leopard tortoise

Postby Mitton » Thu May 26, 2016 12:45 pm

That is insane Ales! How much was the fine for?
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