

How a Leopard Tortoise Saved Spotted Big Cats in South Africa
On a recent visit to the Faraday Traditional Healer’s Market in downtown Johannesburg, I spotted a live Leopard Tortoise. The large reptile was in her own filth in a plastic container without food or water. After much internal debate, I decided to pay R900 to save her from being cooked alive for a soup or potion.
I regard the healer’s markets of South Africa as the greatest threat to endangered wildlife. Over the past 5 years I have been monitoring two of the largest market