Since The Living Desert was founded in 1970, we have been deeply committed to the conservation of the desert tortoise. So, when a call came asking if we could help with a very special desert tortoise project, there was no hesitation; of course, we would!
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The project, led by San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG) & the United States Geological Survey (USGS), sought to ‘headstart’ desert tortoise hatchlings and translocate them back to their native habitats. Headstarting refers to a process where young are reared in a safe and protected setting for one to two years, then are released into the wild. Desert tortoise hatchlings are most vulnerable during the first 5 years of life, when their shells are soft and pliable, making them easy prey. |
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In a typical headstart facility, female tortoises are brought to pens where they dig a nest and lay their eggs. Once the eggs are laid, the females are released back to their native habitat. Approximately 90 days later, itty-bitty versions of the parents emerge from the nest. The hatchlings will usually remain under care for 1-2 years, until they reach a specific size and shell hardness, at which point they are released and monitored by researchers. |
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In 2018, however, things were anything but typical at a headstart facility in the east Mojave Desert. The field team was not having success getting eggs to hatch from the nests. They were unsure if the excessive heatwaves were impacting the incubation or if it was something else, but one thing was certain – something different needed to be done. It was determined that the eggs should be artificially incubated to see if that would help.
During the summer of 2019, The Living Desert was asked to help with the project, as we were the closest and most capable facility to the remote field site. The plan was to x-ray female tortoises in the field to assess if their eggs were ready to be laid. Once ready, the female would be transported to The Living Desert, where our staff, along with SDZG staff, induced the females to lay their eggs. The eggs were then placed in incubators at The Living Desert, and the female tortoises were returned to the desert.
It was unclear if we were going to get any hatchlings out of these eggs, but we hoped for the best. Incubators were monitored closely to ensure the eggs were kept warm. On July 22, 2019, during the morning incubator checks, staff noticed a tiny little tortoise arm punching through an eggshell! These little guys hatched much earlier than we anticipated, by almost 2 weeks – but they were healthy and perfect tiny tortoises!
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The hatchlings were moved to large tubs with their clutch-mates, where they were cared for daily by The Living Desert’s conservation biologists.
Early on an October morning, field staff from SDZG arrived at The Living Desert to collect the hatchlings and transport them to the headstart facility. After all the hard work – it was a bittersweet moment to see them go, but it also felt great knowing we were helping to conserve this crucial desert species.
After spending a year in the headstart facility, the hatchlings were successfully released in their native desert habitats in the Mojave Desert this past October. Each hatchling was outfitted with a tiny transmitter which will allow field biologists to track their movements.
While this project is complete, we are eager to take what we’ve learned and headstart more desert tortoises for future projects.
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Your response to our Mission: Animal Care campaign has been incredible.
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If you haven’t made a donation and are able, please consider donating, adopting, or renewing your membership today. We will get through this together!
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Did you know a group of eggs laid at the same time is called a clutch? One female desert tortoise lays 1-2 clutch(es) of eggs per year between May to mid-July. Each clutch can have anywhere from 4-8 eggs. The eggs, approximately the size of a ping-pong ball, incubate in a nest for approximately 90-120 days.
Did you know the desert tortoises is threatened with extinction?
Listed as Threatened by the United States Endangered Species Act, the desert tortoise is vulnerable to the exploding raven populations, along with habitat loss, off-road vehicle traffic and disease. You can help desert tortoises by discouraging ravens – it's as simple as covering your trash. Learn More >>
Did you know that desert tortoises spend much of their time underground?
The desert tortoise (Gorpherus agassizii) is native to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. They build underground burrows that act as a shelter and protection from the elements and as their home for brumation. Brumation is reptilian hibernation, and for the desert tortoise, it usually occurs from late November to late January – late February.
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Mojave Maxine Emergence Contest |
She's still snoozing, but temps are getting warmer out! It’s not too late to enter the Mojave Maxine Emergence Contest. Southern California students in grades K-12 are invited to make their best guess on when Mojave Maxine will emerge from her brumation. Enter today!
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Hope you 'tortally' enjoyed this week's Monday Minute on the tortoise headstart program! Every time you support us, you support conservation projects like these. |
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There are many ways to support The Living Desert.
If you would like to speak to someone on our Fundraising Team to learn more,
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