A survey of the potential distribution of the threatened tortoise Centrochelys sulcata populations in Burkina Faso (West Africa).

The African spurred tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata) is a threatened species, especially in West Africa, where it shows a scattered distribution. In Burkina Faso, the species distribution is unknown and we documented the current distribution and potential habitat characteristics. We found evidence of the species in a few sites in the northern and eastern part of the country, whereas some records from the southern part of Burkina Faso were considered unreliable. Multiple specimens were recorded only in four localities, mainly in the Sahel ecological zone. Annual rainfall was negatively related to the observed number of tortoises per site, and indeed these tortoises were found in the Sahel and adjacent ecoregions where rainfall is lower than other regions in Burkina Faso whereas latitude and numbers of tortoise individuals observed in each site were positively related. In a sample of 12 measured specimens, the males were significantly larger than females. Although the present surveys demonstrated that C. sulcatais present in Burkina Faso, we can not conclusively determine whether they are native or originated from escaped or introduced animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]