South Africa has the richest diversity of tortoises in the world but this is one of the rarest species on the planet. Although listed as endangered it has lost 97% of its original habitat and is now found only in three isolated pockets in the Western Cape near Tulbagh, Ceres and Worcester. Severe fire in 2012 has probably relegated it to critically endangered status.

Originally the geometric tortoise occurred in the Cape Town area (Harmony Flats Reserve) but man’s eye for its eggs as a source of food and shells for decoration has contributed to the rapid decline in numbers. It only survives in coastal lowland fynbos and renosterveld vegetation and will die in captivity.

Its existence even today, hangs by the thin thread of its beguiling camouflage and sedentary behaviour. A cryptic colouration pattern on its shell, formed by a black background with attractive yellow rays, radiating from the centre of all the shields on the carapace, blends successfully with its environment; its only real defence against predators. The geometric tortoise is a small animal barely covering the palm of your hand. For those that survive, maturity is reached after eight years and some have lived for up to 30 years.

Like the Table Mountain Ghost Frog, the geometric tortoise is worth a kiss, Living Endangered’s ‘kiss of extended life’, is aimed at creating awareness and support from people who care about those lesser-known, smaller species on the endangered list. This attractive little reptiles ‘fight for life’ has inspired talented creators to produce innovative and exquisite jewellery, leather bags and scarves. More of these treasures of esteem will appear in due time.

“In the last 50 years our population has doubled but we have lost 25% of our land species and almost 30% of marine and freshwater species. This is the fastest and greatest rate of biodiversity loss since the extinction of the dinosaurs.”

Andrew Muir
Executive Director of the Wilderness Foundation

It is now very clear that to save the world we have to save the wild. But of the seven billion people covering the earth how many really care if a shy little frog living on the slopes of iconic Table Mountain, is almost extinct? About as many as know it even exists and that is a mere handful.

In essence this concedes the mammoth task of preserving our biodiversity. When we understand just how many species are going the way of the Dodo, unassumingly quietly, without even a whimper, it is perhaps time to give that little frog and others a voice from the wilderness.

Man is responsible for the theft of the wild both from nature and future generations. So those unknown and unnoticed in the wild need to join the Rhino in a call for humans to understand the critical dilemma facing the survival of all species.

Living Endangered has given a few near extinct species a voice in the form fine pieces of adornment, statements that will be carried by people who care. We give to the Wilderness Foundation five percent of the sale of every accessory to continue their fight to preserve wild lands and wild oceans. These are professionals who promote the importance of leadership and knowledge in dealing with the nature.

Biospheres will only survive if people, especially those who live near wild spaces, derive a greater benefit from preserving them than destroying them.

Beautiful people and beautiful things will not let them go.