On the list of wildlife spotters is always the ‘Big Five’ (rhino, lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo). But did you know, there’s a complimentary ‘Small Five’? They are the leopard tortoise, rhino beetle, elephant shrew, ant lion and buffalo weaver. Clearly, the clue is in the names! At Limpopo-Lipadi you can find the Big Five (save the buffalo), but also the Small Five. Let’s focus on the leopard tortoise this time.
According to our rangers, the leopard tortoise with its leopard dots is the herald of rain: if you see them out in the open, there may be rain coming. And yes, we do see them a lot this time of year – which is the rainy season. They have the not-so-safe habit of slowly crossing our dirt roads, so when you get out there please drive carefully.