habitat_narrative

Terrestrial

Chersobius boulengeri occurs in association with dolerite ridges and rocky outcrops of the southern Succulent and Nama Karoo biomes, and peripherally in the Albany Thicket biome in the southeast, at altitudes of approximately 800 to 1,500 m. Annual rainfall is low (approximately 150 to 400 mm over the species’ range) and relatively unpredictable with a coefficient of variation between 35 and 40% (Schulze 1997). Most of the range receives late summer rains. Temperatures are mild to hot and the incidence of frost is high in the interior. Occurs in dwarf shrubland that often contains succulent and grassy elements. The tortoises usually take shelter under rocks in vegetated areas or in rock crevices (Boycott and Bourquin 2000), but few rocky sites over the range offer suitable retreats for the species (V. Loehr and M.D. Hofmeyr pers. obs.). Females nest in summer and have single-egg clutches (Boycott and Bourquin 2000). No information exists on age at maturity and longevity, but based on the life history of Chersobius signatus (Loehr et al. 2007), female C. boulengeri are expected to mature at 10-12 years of age.