Homing Behavior, Site Fidelity and Territoriality of the Pancake
tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri) in Kenya
Abstract
Animals exhibit unique spatial and temporal behaviors that enhance their
survival. Understanding such behaviors is an important step towards
effective conservation and management especially of threatened species.
In this study, we experimented on whether the Pancake tortoise had the
ability to home if translocated and also investigated on site fidelity
and territoriality of the species in the natural habitats in Kitui
County, Kenya. Behavior of 39 tortoises inhabiting 12 spatially
separated rock crevices was studied from July 2020 to June 2022 through
radio-tracking, camera trapping and combination of group-level scan
sampling and ad libitum sampling. Fourteen of the tortoises were fitted
with radio-transmitters and trans-located from their respective home
crevices to other crevices away from their respective home crevices and
their movement and behavior monitored. With an exception of only two
females that adapted well to the new crevices of translocation, all the
other tortoises attempted homing, with 46.15% of them tracing their way
back to their home crevices with accurate precision and 15.38% also
reaching areas believed to be within their home range. The successful
homing indisputably gives evidence of strong site fidelity in the
species. An analysis of the tortoise crevice occupancy showed that there
was no statistically significant difference between numbers of the
tortoises initially present in the crevices with the average number
present over 162 sampling days (F(1,22) = 0.0699, P >0.05),
further supporting strong site fidelity in the species. On the other
hand camera trapping events and ad libitum sampling also proved the
Pancake tortoises to be territorial with males aggressively defending
their territories from other incoming males. Key Words: Animal behavior,
chelonian conservation, Ecology, radio-tracking, homing ability.