AssetID: 54409612
Headline: Meet America's Military Tortoises
Caption: Meet some of the US Military’s cuter shells - their desert tortoises. The creatures live in the Tortoise Research and Captive Rearing Site (TRACRS) at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms, California, an unusual project that shell-ebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025. TRACRS operates as a sanctuary for the Mojave Desert’s endangered tortoises, shielding them from predators and military training hazards such as tanks and explosives. The facility also aims to mitigate broader threats to the species, including habitat fragmentation, climate change, and human encroachment. Saving the tortoise is important as it plays a vital role in the desert ecosystem - dispersing seeds and creating burrows that shelter other animals. Despite this the animals have declined by more than 95% in some areas of California since the 1970s. Sadly, in April, the California Fish and Game Commission officially reclassified the species as endangered, underscoring the urgency of conservation efforts. TRACRS employs innovative methods to support the tortoises. Biologists use radio transmitters to track wild females and portable X-ray machines to identify pregnancies. Expectant females are brought into enclosures to lay eggs before being released. The hatchlings are nurtured in the safety of the facility until they can survive in the wild. In 2017, the programme kicked up a gear when tortoises were relocated from base training areas. About 550 juveniles from these areas were “head-started” at TRACRS, providing them with a crucial chance to thrive. Recently, the programme has focused on studying breeding patterns among relocated tortoises, incubating and raising hatchlings for eventual release. Marines stationed at Twentynine Palms even receive specialised training on handling tortoises, demonstrating the Corps' commitment to their preservation. Any encounter with a tortoise during their training exercises requires troops to stop and ensure the animal's safety. Once abundant, desert tortoises now face myriad challenges, from predation by ravens to habitat degradation by livestock. Conservationists at TRACRS continue to combat these threats, offering a lifeline to one of the Mojave Desert’s most beloved yet imperilled species.
Keywords: feature, video, photo, tortoises, us military, endangered, animals, nature
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