Testudo kleinmanni
CR

Testudo kleinmanni

Declining

Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Overview

Kleinmann's tortoise, also called commonly the Egyptian tortoise, Leith's tortoise, and the Negev tortoise, is a critically endangered species of cryptodire turtle in the family Testudinidae. The species is native to Libya and possibly extinct in Egypt. The species was once more widespread, but its numbers are now dwindling, and complete extinction in the wild is a looming threat unless more actions are taken to protect this species.

The Egyptian tortoise faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive collection for the international pet trade, which has devastated wild populations across its range. Habitat degradation from overgrazing by livestock, agricultural expansion, and coastal development has fragmented remaining populations. Climate change poses an additional threat through increased aridity and extreme weather events in its already harsh desert environment.

Threat summary

Habitat

Egyptian tortoises inhabit arid scrublands, desert margins, and coastal areas with sparse vegetation in Egypt, Libya, and Israel. They prefer areas with sandy or rocky substrates that provide shelter opportunities and scattered drought-resistant plants for foraging.

Marine coastal/supratidal· majorShrubland· majorWetlands (inland) - Bogs, marshes, swamps, fens· majorDesert· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies managementSpecies recoverySpecies reintroductionEx-situ conservationLegislation

Other threatened species in TESTUDINIDAE

Indian Star TortoiseVU

Indian Star Tortoise

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Eastern Santa Cruz Giant TortoiseCR

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Chelonoidis donfaustoi

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VU

Sonoran Desert Tortoise

Gopherus morafkai

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Threatened in Egypt

EN

Anarrhinum pubescens

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AoudadVU

Aoudad

Ammotragus lervia

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Humped BladderwortCR

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Utricularia gibba

Unknown
Asian HoubaraVU

Asian Houbara

Chlamydotis macqueenii

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Testudo kleinmanni classified as Critically Endangered?
Testudo kleinmanni is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Egyptian tortoise faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive collection for the international pet trade, which has devastated wild populations across its range. Habitat degradation from overgrazing by livestock, agricultural expansion, and coastal development has fragmented remaining populations. Climate change poses an additional threat through increased aridity and extreme weather events in its already harsh desert environment.
Where does Testudo kleinmanni live?
Testudo kleinmanni occurs in Egypt, Israel, and Libya. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Testudo kleinmanni?
The main threats to Testudo kleinmanni are 2.1, 2.3, 5.1, and 5.1.1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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