Ethnozoological survey of traditional medicinal uses of tortoises in Lentsweletau and Botlhapatlou villages in Kweneng district of Botswana
Keywords:
Carapace, Ethnozoology, Plastron, Traditional medicine, Tortoise, UsesAbstract
A study was carried out to document the traditional medicinal uses of tortoises at Ramankhung, Lekgalung and Dikateng fields near Lentsweletau village and at Mmaphoroka and Moleleme fields near Botlhapatlou village in Kweneng district of Botswana. A formal questionnaire was administered to 47 respondents (nearly 10 respondents per study site). The respondents were 46.81% farmers, 36.17% cattle herders, 14.89% farm labourers and 2.13% unemployed. The study showed that different parts of tortoises are used in traditional medicine to treat various human ailments in Lentsweletau and Botlhapatlou villages in Kweneng district of Botswana.
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