Our Giant Sulcata Tortoises

One of the most rewarding enterprises at Lees Court Estate is Tortoise Breeding. Although they are pets, this endeavour highlights how personal passions can be brought to land management. It is a significant part of the wide diversification at Lees Court.

In 2014, we welcomed three Giant Sulcata Tortoises to the Estate: Sydney, Sadie, and Princess. As two breeding females and one male, they have flourished in this environment. Over the past decade, we have hatched over 150 offspring.

While many of these hatchlings still call the Estate home, others have found their way to carefully selected, loving homes where their unique needs are met.

The Tortoises at Lees Court are often an integral part of LEARN

About Giant Sulcata Tortoises

The Giant Sulcata Tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata) is the largest mainland Tortoise species in the world, native to the southern edge of the Sahara Desert in Africa. Also known as the African Spurred Tortoise, they can grow to weigh over 100 kilograms (220 pounds) and with proper care can live for around 120 years in captivity. Despite their desert origins, Sulcata Tortoises can adapt well to the UK's climate, provided their environment is carefully managed to meet their needs. However, it is too cold to naturally incubate the eggs in our soil, as a result, the eggs are collected and kept for three months in a temperature controlled incubator, and we are proud to have a 99% hatch rate!