Geometric tortoise  (Psammobates geometricus)

Cape Floral Kingdom: An area occupying about 90,000 square kilometres of South Africa that contains an incredibly high diversity of plant species (around 8,700 species), of which 68 percent are found no where else.
Fynbos: The natural shrubland vegetation occurring in the south-western and southern Cape of South Africa, holding the greatest diversity of plant species in the world. Fynbos is characterised by tall shrubs with large leaves, heath-like shrubs, wiry reed-like plants, and bulbous herbs.
Fynbos biome: Refers to the two key vegetation groups (fynbos and renosterveld) found within the Cape Floral Kingdom.
Renosterveld: One of the dominant vegetation types in the Cape Floral Kingdom. It grows on fertile soils where rainfall is moderate, and is characterised by a great richness in bulb plant species and other geophytes.
Scute: A large, bony plate or scale on the upper or lower shell of a turtle or tortoise.

1. IUCN Red List (September, 2007)
   http://www.iucnredlist.org
   
2. Baard, E.H.W. (2008) Pers. Comm.
   
3. CITES (April, 2007)
   http://www.cites.org
   
4. Groombridge, B. and Wright, L. (1982) The IUCN Amphibia-Reptilia Red Data Book. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.
   
5. Boycott, R.C. and Bourquin, O. (2000) The Southern African Tortoise Book: A Guide to Southern African Tortoises, Terrapins and Turtles. O. Bourquin, Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
   
6. Branch, B. (1993) Southern African Snakes and other Reptiles. New Holland Ltd, London.
   
7. Ernst, C.H., Altenburg, R.G.M. and Barbour, R.W. (1997) Turtles of the World. ETI Information Systems Ltd, Netherlands.
   
8. Baard, E.H.W. (1993) Distribution and status of the geometric tortoise Psammobates geometricus in South Africa. Biological Conservation, 63: 235 - 239.
   
9. Baard, E. (1994) Cape Tortoises; their identification and care. Cape Nature Conservation, Cape Town.
   
10. Baard, E.H.W. (1995) Growth, age at sexual maturity and sexual dimorphism in the geometric tortoise, Psammobates geometricus. Journal of the Herpetological Association of Africa, 44 (1): 10 - 15.
    
11. Rouget, M., Richardson, D.M., Cowling, R.M., Lloyd, J.W. and Lombard, A.T. (2003) Current patterns of habitat transformation and future threats to biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems of the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. Biological Conservation, 112: 63 - 85.
    
12. Baard, E.H.W. and de Villiers, A.L. (2000) State of Biodiversity: Western Cape Province, South Africa. Amphibians and Reptiles. Western Cape Nature Conservation Board, South Africa.
    
13. Turner, A.A., De Villiers, A.L. and Baard, E.H.W. (2007) Western Cape State of Biodiversity 2007. Reptiles. Western cape Nature Conservation Board, South Africa.