June 2001 | Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Western Ecological Research Center (WERC, Sacramento) | Format: URL
www.werc.usgs.gov — Salvage of injured, recently dead, ill, and dying desert tortoises is a very important part of recovery programs for these reptiles. 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 More...
Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Western Ecological Research Center (WERC, Sacramento) | Format: .PDF
www.werc.usgs.gov — One cause for declines in desert tortoise populations is predation on juveniles by common ravens (Corvus corax), a predatory bird species native to the Mojave Desert. The Recovery Plan for the Desert Tortoise recommended that research be conducted on sources of mortality (including natural predation). This study was implemented to investigate the More...
Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Western Ecological Research Center (WERC, Sacramento) | Format: URL
www.werc.usgs.gov — This project started to conduct an extensive review of the literature pertaining to restoring degraded desert tortoise habitat, with emphasis on the Mojave Desert. Recovery to pre-disturbance plant cover and biomass may take from 50-300 years while complete ecosystem recovery may require over 3,000 years. Restoration can be used to enhance the More...
Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Western Ecological Research Center (WERC, Sacramento) | Format: URL
www.werc.usgs.gov — This issues overview and its resources deal with the spread of nonnative grasses in the Sonoran desert of Arizona has increased the risk of devastating fires by ignited fuel. The saguaro cactuses and desert tortoises have suffered catastrophic population losses as a result of these fires fueled by nonnative grasses. Read more about nonnative More...
Publisher: USGS | Science Center: Fort Collins Science Center (FORT, Ft. Collins) | Format: URL
www.fort.usgs.gov — Captive desert tortoises (gopherus agassizii) are getting a "second chance" to live and reproduce in the deserts of the southwest thanks to a unique partnership among state and federal agencies in Nevada. As part of the Desert Tortoise Translocation and Habitat Efficacy Study, captive desert tortoises will be released starting March of 1997 onto More...