19 Angulate Tortoises killed in shocking poaching incident at Table Bay Nature Reserve
Only the empty shells were left after poachers killed 19 tortoises at the Table View Nature Reserve on Saturday.
Image: City of Cape Town
The City of Cape Town has expressed its horror at the brutal poaching of 19 Angulate Tortoises at the Table Bay Nature Reserve.
Reserve staff discovered the empty shells along footpaths leading to the Environmental Education Centre.
The City said the incident has been reported to the local police for further investigation.
“Reserve staff from the Table Bay Nature Reserve discovered the 19 empty shells on Saturday morning, 1 November 2025. The tortoises were removed from their shells, indicating that they were shucked and harvested, possibly for meat or traditional use,” the City said.
“This is a serious case of animal cruelty and a violation of environmental protection laws under the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act and City of Cape Town by-laws,” added Deputy Mayor and Mayco Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Eddie Andrews.
“These beautiful creatures have been brutally killed, their shells broken open and discarded, and the internal organs and flesh removed.”
It is suspected that two men entered the reserve earlier that morning under the pretence of wanting to fish as they paid for this activity and had a fishing rod with them.
Photographic evidence, as well as video footage of the suspects’ vehicle has been submitted to the local police, CapeNature, and the SPCA, the City said.
Cape Times