Welcome back to Turtle Tea with TTPG - the definitive Turtle and Tortoise Podcast! In this episode, host Wendy Montroy sits down with Chris Leone of Garden State Tortoise to do a deep dive into the complex and often confusing world of Mediterranean tortoises.

Chris shares the incredible personal story that sparked his lifelong obsession with the Testudo genus, involving a 1990s flight from Italy and a tortoise in a purse, before pivoting into the cutting-edge science of chelonian preservation. We discuss the limits of relying purely on morphology, the historical impact of the pet trade, and the shocking reality of hybrid genetics occurring right now in the wild.

Whether you keep Greek tortoises (Testudo graeca), Hermann’s tortoises (Testudo hermanni), or are just passionate about reptile conservation, this episode is packed with essential insights on keeping subspecies and localities pure and managing captive collections responsibly.

Episode Q&A

Q: How many subspecies of Greek tortoises (Testudo graeca) actually exist?

A: It is a heavily loaded and debated question in taxonomy. While some splitters classify up to 20 distinct variations, most current consensus lands between 7 and 9 recognized subspecies.

Q: Why is relying strictly on visual traits (morphology) like shell color so risky for keepers?

A: Color and markings can be incredibly deceiving. Environmental factors, age (many tortoises turn black as they grow older), and overlapping natural integration zones mean two completely different subspecies can look nearly identical. True morphology requires looking at finer structural details.

Q: What did Chris's recent genetic testing reveal about imports labeled as Testudo graeca armeniaca (Araxes tortoise)?

A: By studying obscure literature and field data, Chris suspected a beautifully domed, massive tortoise imported within an armeniaca group was actually a Testudo graeca buxtoni. Blood testing confirmed this 100%, proving that rare, distinct subspecies are hiding undetected within standard commercial imports.

Q: How severe is the threat of genetic hybridization in wild tortoise populations?

A: It is a major conservation crisis. On the mainland of Southern France, field biologists have discovered that roughly 18% to 20% of the wild Hermann's tortoises found are actually hybrids - meaning nearly 1 in 5 wild tortoises are facing genetic dilution.

Resources:

A Lab Tested Our Tortoises: Results Change Their Future Forever. - a must watch video for more info about everything we talk about in the episode

For more information on turtle conservation and husbandry, visit ⁠Turtletea.org⁠ or join the ⁠Turtle and Tortoise Preservation Group (TTPG) ⁠community. You can find Chris Leone on ⁠the Garden State Tortoise⁠ YouTube channel. For info on the Hermann's genetics work visit https://www.hermannihaven.com/our-genetics-project-more

Not a TTPG member yet? ⁠⁠⁠Join us⁠⁠⁠! The ⁠⁠⁠Turtle and Tortoise Preservation Group⁠⁠⁠ is full of the kindest, most knowledgable and FUN turtle people on the planet!