{"id":88,"date":"2023-09-18T09:04:42","date_gmt":"2023-09-18T09:04:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/livingdesert23.wpengine.com\/?page_id=88"},"modified":"2025-05-01T13:31:30","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T20:31:30","slug":"desert-tortoise","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/conservation\/desert-tortoise\/","title":{"rendered":"Desert Tortoise"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"88\" class=\"elementor elementor-88\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f09b7a conser-detail e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3f09b7a\" data-element_type=\"container\" id=\"main\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1fb64a8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1fb64a8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Conservation-Hero.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2309\" alt=\"conservation\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Conservation-Hero.jpg 840w, https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Conservation-Hero-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Conservation-Hero-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2318b60 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2318b60\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Headstarting Desert Tortoise Hatchlings<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ca8c084 e-con-full elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-hidden-mobile e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"ca8c084\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-348dc92 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"348dc92\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5><strong>Exciting update: August 2024<p><\/p>\n<\/strong><p><strong>Desert tortoise eggs from Edwards Air Force Base have started to arrive at The Living Desert for the 2024-2025 headstarting cohort. They are currently being kept safe in a temperature and humidity-controlled incubator until they hatch. Stay tuned for more updates soon!<\/strong><\/p><\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0d9eaa6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0d9eaa6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTo give critically endangered desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) a better chance of survival in the wild, The Living Desert partners with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA), Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB), and United States Geological Survey (USGS) in an innovative headstart program. In September 2022, 69 wild desert tortoise hatchlings and eggs from EAFB arrived at The Living Desert\u2019s Tennity Wildlife Hospital. Once at the hospital, tortoise hatchlings grew to the size of three-year-olds within their first six months of life thanks to an abundant, nutrient-rich diet and warm habitat. This increase in size helps to make them less vulnerable to predation and increase their chances of surviving to a reproductive age.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4098268 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4098268\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Desert-Tortoise-Hatchling-The-Living-Desert-Zoo-and-Gardens-01-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2444\" alt=\"Desert Tortoise\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Desert-Tortoise-Hatchling-The-Living-Desert-Zoo-and-Gardens-01-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Desert-Tortoise-Hatchling-The-Living-Desert-Zoo-and-Gardens-01-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Desert-Tortoise-Hatchling-The-Living-Desert-Zoo-and-Gardens-01-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Desert-Tortoise-Hatchling-The-Living-Desert-Zoo-and-Gardens-01.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-757d785 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"757d785\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRecently, scientists have noticed an absence of young and juvenile desert tortoises in the wild with only about five percent of hatchlings surviving to reach sexual maturity. Using a technique called headstarting, a tool used with species for whom surviving through their youngest life stages can greatly increase their chances of reaching adulthood, The Living Desert provides the tortoises with the appropriate environmental conditions to grow about four to five times as fast as they would in the wild.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f172b3a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f172b3a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Desert-Tortoise-Hatchling-The-Living-Desert-Zoo-and-Gardens-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1966\" alt=\"Desert Tortoise\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Desert-Tortoise-Hatchling-The-Living-Desert-Zoo-and-Gardens-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Desert-Tortoise-Hatchling-The-Living-Desert-Zoo-and-Gardens-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Desert-Tortoise-Hatchling-The-Living-Desert-Zoo-and-Gardens-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Desert-Tortoise-Hatchling-The-Living-Desert-Zoo-and-Gardens-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Desert-Tortoise-Hatchling-The-Living-Desert-Zoo-and-Gardens-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-caf04a9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"caf04a9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The headstarting program presented scientists with the unique opportunity to learn more about the youngest age class of desert tortoises. For example the 2022 -2023 the program timeline included:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48c2c2e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"48c2c2e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li><strong>April-June 2022<\/strong>: At Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB), San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) ecologists used trackers and mobile x-rays to locate adult female desert tortoises with eggs.<\/li><li><strong>Mid-Late August 2022<\/strong>: At the EAFB outdoor rearing facility, an unexpected heatwave necessitated the eggs and hatchlings be evacuated and moved to The Living Desert ahead of schedule.<\/li><li><strong>September 2022<\/strong>: At The Living Desert\u2019s Tennity Wildlife Hospital, incubators allowed eggs to hatch safely. Tortoises lived in a temperature-controlled environment and were given a nutrient-rich diet to help growth rates.<\/li><li><strong>March 2023<\/strong>: Transported the tortoises to EAFB outdoor rearing facility. For six months, tortoises re-acclimatized to the desert and learned predator avoidance behaviors.<\/li><li><strong>September 2023<\/strong>: At EAFB, before releasing the hatchlings, radio trackers are attached to their shells to monitor dispersal, survivability, and habitat use.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aa8ae85 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"aa8ae85\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tScientists were able to test behavioral traits and thermal preferences amongst the tortoises to discover what role the traits and climate change may play in predicting habitat use, movement, and survival of the animals once they are back in the wild. In this way, behavior and climate models can inform or shape conservation practices to be more effective.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-543544f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"543544f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"570\" height=\"307\" src=\"https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Desert-Tortoise-Conservation-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2310\" alt=\"desert tortoise\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Desert-Tortoise-Conservation-1.jpg 570w, https:\/\/www.livingdesert.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Desert-Tortoise-Conservation-1-300x162.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 570px) 100vw, 570px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-10c26fe elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"10c26fe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOnce trials were completed and the hatchlings were large enough, they returned to the outdoor rearing facility at EAFB for another six months to re-acclimatize to the desert. SDZWA staff trains the hatchlings, teaching them to be wary of some of their top predators, specifically ravens and coyotes. Once training is complete, scientists attach radio trackers to the tortoises&#8217; shells and release the hatchlings back into the desert on Edwards Air Force Base. The radio trackers will allow scientists to monitor the dispersal, survivability, and habitat use of the hatchlings once they&#8217;re released. The next cohort of hatchlings arrived at the Zoo in September 2023, bringing the headstart program full circle!\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d5f09da elementor-blockquote--skin-boxed elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"d5f09da\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\tCaring for the desert tortoise hatchlings for six months and seeing their impressive growth has been an incredible experience that is only made better with the knowledge that we are directly supporting this keystone species.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-q-footer\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\"elementor-blockquote__author\">Lou Thomas, Lead Conservation Biologist<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a09ceb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7a09ceb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Your support fuels groundbreaking conservation efforts like the headstarting desert tortoise hatchling program, directly contributing to the survival of this keystone species. <a href=\"https:\/\/livingdesert.donorshops.com\/product\/DON-ONETIME\/general-donation\">Donate now<\/a> to make a difference.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6048445 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6048445\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef9ea7e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ef9ea7e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Share it<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-960dedc elementor-share-buttons--view-icon elementor-share-buttons--skin-minimal elementor-share-buttons--color-custom con-share-btn elementor-share-buttons--shape-square elementor-grid-0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-share-buttons\" data-id=\"960dedc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"share-buttons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid\" role=\"list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_facebook\" role=\"button\" 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101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_email\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Share on email\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-envelope\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M502.3 190.8c3.9-3.1 9.7-.2 9.7 4.7V400c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V195.6c0-5 5.7-7.8 9.7-4.7 22.4 17.4 52.1 39.5 154.1 113.6 21.1 15.4 56.7 47.8 92.2 47.6 35.7.3 72-32.8 92.3-47.6 102-74.1 131.6-96.3 154-113.7zM256 320c23.2.4 56.6-29.2 73.4-41.4 132.7-96.3 142.8-104.7 173.4-128.7 5.8-4.5 9.2-11.5 9.2-18.9v-19c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48H48C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112v19c0 7.4 3.4 14.3 9.2 18.9 30.6 23.9 40.7 32.4 173.4 128.7 16.8 12.2 50.2 41.8 73.4 41.4z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Headstarting Desert Tortoise Hatchlings Exciting update: August 2024 &nbsp; Desert tortoise eggs from Edwards Air Force Base have started to arrive at The Living Desert for the 2024-2025 headstarting cohort&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":0,"parent":80,"menu_order":26,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-88","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Desert Tortoise Resources &amp; 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