Study Centre · The basics
A Mediterranean tortoise is more than an animal to identify. It is a life connected to a landscape, its changes and the possibilities it offers for survival.
In brief
Protecting an individual and conserving a wild population are related commitments, but they are not the same thing.
A precise name, not a generic label
Testudo hermanni is a European terrestrial species of the Mediterranean region. The IUCN specialist group’s monograph distinguishes a western and an eastern subspecies. Not all tortoises are Testudo hermanni, and visual similarities are not always sufficient for reliable identification. [1]
Using the scientific name helps reduce ambiguity, not make the subject difficult. Once we are clear about which animal we mean, we can ask more relevant questions about its needs.
The animal and the landscape
The 2013 Italian IUCN assessment describes Mediterranean scrub, coastal areas and open habitats among the environments used. It also identifies pressures such as habitat alteration, fires and the collection of animals. This is an older assessment, not an up-to-date population survey. [2]
This information helps us change perspective: a landscape is not just the backdrop to a beautiful photograph. Changes to it can alter the conditions in which animals live.
Individual care and conservation
Caring for a tortoise means taking responsibility for that individual. Conservation also requires attention to populations and habitats. We do not present the number of animals in our care as an automatic measure of a species’ recovery in the wild.
For the same reason, the Sanctuary is not described as a release programme: initiatives of that kind require specific expertise, assessments and decisions. Good intentions alone do not make them appropriate.
Understanding does not require ownership
We can build a connection with these animals by learning to observe them, sharing accurate information and supporting transparent projects. That relationship need not become a desire to take them home.
For the Foundation, respect begins with this thoughtful distance: recognising the value of a life without expecting it to be available to us.
Understand. Respect. Protect.
Sources and limits of this article
[1] IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, Testudo hermanni (2011–2012 monograph)
Distribution, habitats and species overview; not an updated threat assessment.
[2] Italian IUCN Committee, Testudo hermanni (2013 assessment)
Habitats and pressures described in the 2013 national assessment.
Sources consulted on 9 September 2026. General educational information: it does not replace veterinary assessment of an individual animal.