In both very hot and very cold weather, it may dwell in abandoned fox, jackal, or aardvark burrows.

[3][4][1] Considerable debate has occurred about the existence of two subspecies, S. p. pardalis and S. p. babcocki, but recent work does not support this distinction.

The specific name pardalis is from the Latin word pardus meaning "leopard" and refers to the leopard-like spots on the tortoise's shell.

Juveniles and young adults are attractively marked with black blotches, spots, or even dashes and stripes on a yellow background.

[3][1] Leopard tortoises are herbivorous; their diet consists of a wide variety of plants including forbs, thistles, grasses, and succulents.

[9] The numerous predators of the eggs and hatchlings include monitor lizards, snakes, jackals, and crows.

Human activities, including agricultural burning, consumption, and especially commercial exploitation in the pet trade, are potential threats, but have not yet caused significant population declines.

For example, most tortoises exported from Kenya and Tanzania originate in captive-breeding programs, alleviating collection from the wild.