| body size development of captive and free-ranging leopard tortoises (geochelone pardalis). | the growth and weight development of leopard tortoise hatchings (geochelone pardalis) kept at the al wabra wildlife preservation (awwp), qatar, was observed for more than four years, and compared to data in literature for free-ranging animals on body weight or carapace measurements. the results document a distinctively faster growth in the captive animals. indications for the same phenomenon in other tortoise species (galapagos giant tortoises, g. nigra; spur-thighed tortoises, testudo graeca; d ... | 2010 | 19722272 |