Homopus areolatus
Silhouette: Andrew A. Farke · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Homopus areolatus, commonly known as the common padloper or parrot-beaked tortoise, is a tiny species of tortoise of the genus Homopus, indigenous to the southern part of South Africa. Homopus areolatus is known by a wide range of common names. In its native region in southern Africa (and in much of the scientific community) it is usually known as the common padloper due to its being by far the most commonly occurring of all the Homopus ("padloper") species.
It is also commonly known as the parrot-beaked tortoise, due to the relatively large beak that the males of the species possess. Other names include the older name of beaked Cape tortoise, as well as areolated tortoise. The latter name refers to its species name "areolatus", and describes the raised rings around the scutes of its shell.
The common padloper is a small, rather flat tortoise. Its shell usually has varied colouration, ranging between olive-green and brown. The shields of the carapace are flat, with large raised areolae, and a thin black edging.
Like its larger relative, the greater padloper, and unlike the other padlopers, it has only four toes on its front feet, as well as its hind... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Town | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Parrot-beaked Tortoise sighting in Addo Elephant National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 19th most-seen of the 27 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–April and October–December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Parrot-beaked Tortoise in Addo Elephant National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January and May–September, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Parrot-beaked Tortoise sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Parrot-beaked Tortoise sightings, Addo Elephant National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Table Mountain National Park (South Africa, about 10%) and Garden Route National Park (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Testudinidae
The closest relatives of the Parrot-beaked Tortoise that you can see in Addo Elephant National Park (family Testudinidae, Tortoises) are Leopard Tortoise (about 40%) and Angulate Tortoise (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Parrot-beaked Tortoise is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Addo Elephant National Park (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
