National Recovery Strategy Aims to Save the Critically Endangered Pancake Tortoise
By OUR CORRESPONDENT
In a historic move to prevent the extinction of the pancake tortoise (*Malacochersus tornieri), Kenya has unveiled an ambitious 10-year National Pancake Tortoise Recovery Plan (2025–2035) on World Endangered Species Day. The initiative, one of Africa’s most comprehensive conservation efforts, solidifies Kenya’s leadership in protecting biodiversity.
Affectionately known as kobe kama chapati for its uniquely flat, flexible shell, the pancake tortoise is a biological marvel—capable of squeezing into narrow rock crevices for protection. Yet this same adaptation has made it a prime target for illegal pet traders, pushing the species toward extinction. Fewer than 10,000 remain in the wild, with over 95% found in Kenya across nine counties (Kitui, Embu, Meru, Tharaka-Nithi, Laikipia, Samburu, Isiolo, Marsabit, and Tana River), as well as in Tanzania and Zambia.
Speaking at the launch in Chiakariga, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General Prof. Erustus Kanga stressed the urgency of the rescue mission. “This isn’t just about saving a tortoise—it’s about protecting a delicate ecological balance,” he said. “With a reproductive rate of just one egg per year, every individual is critical to the species’ survival.”
The plan, developed over two decades of research by KWS, the National Museums of Kenya, and partners including Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, prioritizes habitat protection & restoration, scientific monitoring & research, community-led conservation programs, anti-trafficking enforcement, and sustainable livelihoods for local communities
Tharaka-Nithi County Deputy Governor Nyaga Muisraeli pledged full support, declaring, “Conservation is not just a duty—it is our generational responsibility.” KWS Board of Trustees member Hon. Chachu Ganya announced Marsabit County’s commitment to expanding protected areas, urging all Kenyans to become custodians of the species.
Tharaka University emerged as a key partner, with Vice Chancellor Prof. Peter Muriungi announcing a new KWS-licensed conservancy on campus to host pancake tortoises, ostriches, and a future snake park for venom research. The university will also host Kenya’s World Environment Day celebrations on June 5, reinforcing its role as a conservation hub.
With 95% of pancake tortoises living outside protected areas, community engagement is vital. Prof. Kanga highlighted Baringo County’s successful leopard tortoise farming initiatives as a blueprint for sustainable wildlife management.
The plan was developed with technical and financial backing from the Turtle Survival Alliance, Turtle Conservation Fund, Re:wild, and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, facilitated through Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and guided by the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group.
“We call on all Kenyans to join this fight,” said Prof. Kanga. “Report sightings, reject illegal trade, and help turn this species—once considered doomed—into a conservation success story.”
With its iconic flat shell now a national symbol of resilience, the pancake tortoise stands as a testament to Kenya’s commitment to safeguarding Earth’s most vulnerable species. Through science, policy, and grassroots action, Kenya is proving that even the most specialized creatures can thrive—when people and nature work together.
