DAR ES SALAAM, May 30 -- PANCAKE tortoises, scientifically known as Pancake tortoise, are among the strangest looking tortoises found in the savannahs of East Africa. Unlike most tortoises, which have thick and heavily domed shells, the pancake tortoise has a shell that is flat, light and flexible around the edges.

The shell is only about one to two centimetres thick, giving the species its unusual “pancake” appearance. Despite being a tortoise, the species is surprisingly fast and agile. Adults usually measure between 14 and 18 centimetres long and weigh less than one kilogramme.

Their flattened shell allows them to squeeze deep into narrow rock crevices to escape predators. Pancake tortoises are native to rocky outcrops in...