Public can assist in desert tortoise
study
Wildlife News
June 13, 2005
KINGMAN,
Ariz. - Members of the public who have a desert tortoise can aid in the
conservation of the species by participating in a health analysis study June
18-19 in Kingman.
Cristina Jones, a tortoise researcher from the
University of Arizona, will be drawing blood and taking nasal flushes from
captive tortoises from the Kingman, Golden Valley, and Bullhead City areas.
While testing is conducted for 15-30 minutes, Jones, along with desert
tortoise experts from the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Arizona
Sonora Desert Museum will be available to answer owner questions regarding
care, diet, and yard habitat.
"In addition to developing a better understanding of local tortoise health,
tortoise owners will have a unique opportunity to interact with experts on
the proper care of their tortoise," says Steve Goodman, a biologist at the
Game and Fish Department's Kingman office.
The effort, funded by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, is designed to
assess the health of captive tortoises. Researchers will then compare the
information obtained from the captive tortoises to data collected from those
in the wild.
Jones is specifically looking for the presence or absence of Upper
Respiratory Tract Disease.
Although it hasn't happened in Arizona, a massive die-off in the western
Mohave Desert was associated with the disease. The disease does not affect
humans, but people can carry it on their hands.
"We don't know a lot about this disease's potential impact in Arizona,"
Goodman explains." "So, this study should give us some insight into how such
a disease can affect the desert tortoise population."
Jones, a master's student at the University of Arizona, has been collecting
blood samples and nasal flushes from both wild and captive desert tortoises
for three years. She says her primary goal during testing is to limit
stress.
Goodman explains that for the study to be meaningful, a minimum of 50
tortoises must be tested. The greater the number of tortoises tested, the
more valuable the information.
Because the study is being conducted on a weekend, individuals willing to
participate are asked to schedule an appointment with the Kingman Game and
Fish office at (928) 692-7700.
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