They are pretty impressive, aren't they? I got to see several Ethiopian giant leopard tortoises in 2015, when I traveled there. One male I saw was larger than any sulcata I have ever seen. He was massive.

In Europe, they do classify the Ethiopian and Somali leopard tortoises separately from the regular babcocki leopards. I don't know how official it is, but people call them Stigmochelys pardalis somalica in conversation. I believe the Ethiopian giants are related to the Somali giants. Ethiopian ones can't be exported, but there is a breeding group of them in Switzerland, and one in France. I wonder if it would be possible to legally export eggs that are very close to hatching. The reason for not exporting the giant leopards from Ethiopia is a certain kind of tick that carries disease - which would not be an issue in eggs. It would be important to go through the right channels, and to respect the wishes of local government and conservation efforts...

There are several breeders in Germany and Austria who produce and sell Somali giants, although at least two of them are said to have issues with mycoplasma in their group. I know three people in Germany who are currently raising somali giants they got from reputable breeders, tested negative for mycoplasma. Their animals are a few years from being breeding size, but already are impressive.
Photo of me in Addis Ababa in 2015

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