PROTOCOL - JUNE 2001
Revised June 2003
SALVAGING INJURED, RECENTLY DEAD, ILL, AND DYING
WILD, FREE-ROAMING DESERT TORTOISES (GOPHERUS AGASSIZII)
prepared by Kristin H. Berry for
Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit TE006556-11
expires 7/18/2004
Salvage of injured, recently dead, ill, and dying desert tortoises is a very important part of
recovery programs for threatened and endangered species. Salvaged desert tortoises can provide
a wealth of information about such subjects as health, disease, presence of heavy metals and
other toxicants, and causes of mortality in populations. When tortoises are salvaged because
they are injured (e.g., by a vehicle, fire, or domestic dogs), they may be appropriate for use
as control or healthy individuals in comparisons with ill and diseased tortoises. Such tortoises,
if sufficient in number, may reduce the need to take healthy animals from the wild for research purposes.
By far the most valuable specimens are tortoises taken while still alive or within a few hours of
death and necropsied within 24-72 hours by a licensed clinical veterinary research pathologist with
expertise in desert tortoises. The reason is that much more can be learned from a tortoise with very
fresh tissues that can be processed for histological and other types of laboratory work. Once a tortoise
is frozen, then level of detail that can be obtained from frozen tissues is considerably reduced. One
desert tortoise research program involves necropsy of tortoises and the U.S. Geological Survey has a
contract with a pathologist, an expert in desert tortoises.
The following protocol deals only with wild desert tortoises, not captives. It is divided into four
parts: (1) determination of the status of the tortoise; (2) collection of critical data in the field;
(3) instructions on handling the tortoises; and (4) disposition of the tortoise after it has been removed
from the field. Several parts of the protocol require contact with Dr. Berry, the Project Leader and
Principle Investigator, and whose address and phones numbers are listed at the end.
ACTION 1. DETERMINE THE STATUS OF THE TORTOISE.
The tortoise must have tissues that are sufficiently fresh for laboratory analysis. If the tortoise
has died and the organ systems are putrefying (decaying), then the remains are not appropriate for salvage,
except for analysis of scute and bone. Decaying remains are not part of this protocol.
- Tortoise is recently dead (e.g., death is occurring, has just occurred, or death occurred within a
few hours). Critical questions to ask include: how fresh are the remains? Are the soft tissues decaying
(smelling of putrefaction)? If the remains are fresh (don=t smell, are soft, death has recently occurred),
then the tortoise should be salvaged and immediately put on ice, then frozen. GO TO ACTION 2.
- Tortoise is injured. Most of the injured tortoises observed in the last 10 years are from vehicle
encounters, have been in fires, or attacked by domestic dogs. Some are fatally injured and in the process
of dying. The shell is fractured in more than one place and/or soft tissues are exposed in the pleural or
abdominal cavities. If the tortoise has been injured and the wound infested with maggots, it should be salvaged.
Salvage is the appropriate action for all tortoises in these categories. GO TO ACTION 2.
In other cases, the injury does not appear to be severe and the ACTION is unclear. Tortoises have survived attacks
by coyotes and loss of one or more limbs and still functioned well in the wild. Tortoises have received cracked
shells from vehicles and depression fractures, probably from being stepped on by a cow or run over by an off-road
vehicle while in a burrow. Some of these tortoises heal and survive. The key issue is severity and whether flies
and thence maggots get into the wounds. ACTION: If in doubt, call Dr. Berry to discuss what action to take. If the
tortoise is removed from the wild and taken to a veterinarian, it should not be returned to the wild. Once such
action is taken, the tortoise is essentially dead in terms of wild tortoises populations. The key questions to ask
are: will it be better to put this animal into captivity and hope that it can be effectively treated? or would it be
better to include this animal in a research program?
- Tortoise is ill and/or debilitated and/or dying. This category is related to disease, starvation, dehydration,
debilitation, etc. The following are some criteria for salvage:
- tortoise is lethargic, cannot pull tightly within shell or only can do so briefly or periodically;
- tortoise is severely debilitated and non-responsive, lies with legs outstretched and does not raise head, rests it
on gular or plastron;
- tortoise is light in weight for size, exhibits loss of muscle mass, shows no interest in food or water;
- tortoise has signs of severe upper respiratory disease (purulent discharge from nares and/or eyes; signs of recent
purulent discharge from nares);
- tortoise has lesions in the mouth, potentially from herpes virus;
- tortoise has moderate to severe shell disease on plastron, carapace, or both and/or limbs; bone may be exposed in small
or large areas;
- tortoise is covered with mold or fungi and exhibits other signs listed above
- tortoise has a combination of some of the above; and/or
- tortoise is paralyzed, partially paralyzed, has prolapsed organs protruding from the cloaca.
If in doubt, the observer can keep track of such tortoises or hold them in a clean box until reaching Dr. Berry on the telephone to discuss action.
ACTION 2. COLLECTION OF CRITICAL DATA IN THE FIELD.
For all salvaged tortoises, whether live or dead, the following information is critical.
- Collector: Name, agency, full address, email address, telephone numbers, and fax number.
- Time of collection: time of day, state whether in daylight or Pacific Standard Time
- General Location: The exact location is essential for follow up studies. The following types of
locality information are very helpful: township, range, and quarter section; GPS data in latitude and
longitude or UTMs; elevation; general location with place name, e.g., Cima Dome, Ivanpah Valley; highway
or road name and number; miles to nearest road junction or town; highway marker number. Must include
county and state.
- Specific Location: examples include in east-bound lane of I-40 at mile marker___; in mouth of burrow
in creosote bush scrub habitat, middle of dirt road leading to Rainbow Basin
- Possible/probable cause of injury, illness, or death
Not essential but desirable:
- Vegetation Type
- Photographs of tortoise in place
- Collector=s list of actions taken, e.g., time salvaged, time put on ice or frozen, location
of frozen animal with data attached (e.g., in freezer at NPS office in Barstow).
- Approximate size of tortoise: measure or estimate length in millimeters or inches straight line
distance from the edge of the shell where the head emerges to the posterior shell where the tail is.
- Sex of tortoise
Make 5 copies of the data and place (1) with the desert tortoise (in a ziplock bag); (2) provide an
additional copy for Dr. Berry at time of transfer of the tortoise; (3) fax one set to USFWS, 222 E.
Main Street, Suite 102, Barstow, CA 92311, 760-255-8852; (4) mail one set to Ms. Rebecca Jones, CDFG,
36431 41st Street East, Palmdale, CA 93552; and (5) retain one set for the collector=s records.
ACTION 3. INSTRUCTIONS ON HANDLING THE TORTOISE.
- Tortoise is recently dead. Place in sturdy plastic bag, preferably a ziplock bag and immediately
place on crushed or other ice. Freeze; making certain to include a COPY of the DATA with the tortoise.
Place the data in a smaller ziplock bag within the larger ziplock bag and avoid getting data sheets wet
or damp. GO TO ACTION 4.
- Tortoise is injured. If the tortoise is severely injured, place in a box and take to the nearest
veterinarian to be euthanized. Call Dr. Berry as soon as possible after the decision is made to salvage.
Dr. Berry will try to ensure that once the tortoise is dead, it can be shipped on wet ice (NOT DRY ICE)
via FEDEX for immediate necropsy. If such arrangements cannot be made rapidly, then the tortoise will
have to be frozen. Dr. Berry may make arrangements for the Collector to directly ship the tortoise to the
pathologist via FEDEX or may take the tortoise herself for shipment. Once the tortoise is dead, it should
be placed in a ziplock or other heavy plastic bag and sealed with the data sheet enclosed. GO TO ACTION 4.
If the tortoise is injured and is unlikely to recover sufficiently on its own to survive in the wild and if
discussions with Dr. Berry result in salvage, then the tortoise may need to either be euthanized or shipped
immediately for necropsy. Since Dr. Berry must personally ship each live tortoise herself via air freight,
she must be contacted, and arrangements made for her to take the tortoise. Place tortoise in clean cardboard
box on newspapers and keep cool and out of the sun. GO TO ACTION 4.
- Tortoise is ill and/or debilitated and/or dying. Dr. Berry and the Collector will discuss arrangements
for transferring the tortoise to her for air freight shipment for necropsy. For some of these tortoises,
there is flexibility in terms of days, possibly weeks; for others time is of the essence. Place tortoise
in clean cardboard box on newspapers and keep cool and out of the sun. GO TO ACTION 4.
ACTION 4. DISPOSITION OF THE TORTOISE OR TORTOISE REMAINS AFTER REMOVAL FROM THE FIELD.
- Tortoise is dead or has been euthanized, is frozen. These remains can be held for weeks or months,
until they can be transferred to Dr. Berry. She may either pick them up or make arrangements to have
them delivered to her.
- Tortoise is dead, has been placed on wet ice (not dry ice) and must be shipped. TIME IS VERY
CRITICAL FOR THIS GROUP OF TORTOISES. If, for example, the tortoise is on ice and it is Friday afternoon,
shipment via FEDEX to the pathologist may be impossible before the tissues decay. Management of such
animals is on a case-by-case basis and depends on: availability of a appropriate pathologist to immediately
conduct a necropsy, shipping constraints, weekends and holidays. Contact Dr. Berry for discussion and
decision. If all else fails, the tortoise can be frozen.
- Tortoise is live, must be transferred immediately to Dr. Berry for air freight shipment. Contact Dr.
Berry to set up the transfer.
OTHER IMPORTANT ACTIONS:
- Tortoise is collected by employee or contractor for a county, state, or federal agency. A letter on
agency letterhead, transferring the tortoise to Dr. Berry, is highly desirable.
- Contact with USFWS, is highly desirable and should be undertaken. The individual handling desert
tortoises (by county) needs to be kept informed of all decisions.
- Contact with the California department of Fish and Game representative is highly desirable and should
be undertaken. Rebecca Jones is the contact person (661-285-5867).
PHONE NUMBERS AND ADDRESSES FOR:
|
Dr. Kristin H. Berry |
|
U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center |
|
Box Springs Field Station |
|
22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos |
|
Moreno Valley, CA 92553 |
|
909-697-5361; |
|
email: kristin_berry@usgs.gov |
Dr. Berry is in the field for days at a time in spring. She retrieves all phone messages from the 909-697-5361 number on a daily basis and that is the most reliable number.
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Last update: 17 March 2003