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ARIZONA REPUBLIC (Phoenix) 28 July 06 Homeless tortoises are up for adoption (Kate Nolan)
Arizona's desert tortoises have been around for 12,000 years or so. But like much of Arizona's wildlife, some are looking for homes as fires and urban growth compromise their living quarters, typically on bajadas, the sloping plains at the base of mountains.
State biologists are visiting Cave Creek and Estrella Mountain regional parks Saturday to sign up adoptive households for homeless tortoises.
It's a rare opportunity. It's illegal to own a tortoise under most circumstances. Adoption requires a considerable commitment. The animals can live to age 80, grow to 15 inches in length and have specific space and shelter needs, including a burrow and an enclosed pen with a plot of grass. advertisement
"Once captured, a tortoise can't go back to nature," said Arizona Game and Fish biologist Lisa Bucci, who works with tortoises. Given the long-term obligation, potential adopters are screened and educated on building the habitat and caring for the tortoise. The orphaned tortoises have either lost their natural or adopted habitats.
According to Thomas Jones, who heads the state's amphibians and reptiles program, Arizona's tortoises, known as Sonoran desert tortoises, are surviving but are pressured by habitat destruction, wildfires and disease. The Mojave desert tortoise in Nevada and California is the same species, but has been placed on the endangered species list as "threatened," primarily because of devastating outbreaks of an upper-respiratory disease.
"Domesticated tortoises can get it; sometimes they get released and spread it," Jones said.
He wants prospective adopters to know that domesticated tortoises should never be released. In addition to exposing wild tortoises to infection, they don't do well in the wild, with natural predators that include mountain lions.
Game and Fish has monitored tortoises at specific study sites for 10 years, but much of the data are still being analyzed.
"They live a tenuous existence," Jones said. It's clear that development is having an impact on their population, but Jones suspects another factor may be just as influential.
"Catastrophic wildfire is sweeping through much upland Sonoran habitat, but in my opinion, we know too little of its effect on tortoises and other reptiles," Jones said. A prime study area on the west side of Sugarloaf Mountain near the Beeline Highway was spared by a 1993 fire on the eastern side of the mountain.
Jones said data are lacking to measure the impact of recent fires, such as the 1995 Rio Fire that burned 23,365 acres. "I suspect a fire of that nature affected tortoises. I would like to gather the data," he said.
Homeless tortoises are up for adoption

to a talk today about the desert tortoises. There were 5 of these around the valley today. The one I went to had a little over 100 people there. I was very dissapointed in the talk. The speaker made it sound as if adopting a tort is good thing for most people. The cost of adoption is $12. You only need to provide a 12'x12' enclosure (too small IMO) and provide pics with the ap. There's no visit to see whether you really have the setup.
People at the talk were asking questions such as:
"Does the tort have body odor?"
"Can they swim?"
"Can I get more than one?"
"Can I feed it dog food?"

An article on the web produced by the AZ FWS stated, "Easy pet for kids to take care of!"

I am very concerned about the welfare of many of these tortoises that may be placed with these
County description of tortoise talks

>>to a talk today about the desert tortoises. There were 5 of these around the valley today. The one I went to had a little over 100 people there. I was very dissapointed in the talk. The speaker made it sound as if adopting a tort is good thing for most people. The cost of adoption is $12. You only need to provide a 12'x12' enclosure (too small IMO) and provide pics with the ap. There's no visit to see whether you really have the setup.
>>People at the talk were asking questions such as:
>>"Does the tort have body odor?"
>>"Can they swim?"
>>"Can I get more than one?"
>>"Can I feed it dog food?"
>>
>>An article on the web produced by the AZ FWS stated, "Easy pet for kids to take care of!"
>>
>>I am very concerned about the welfare of many of these tortoises that may be placed with these
>>County description of tortoise talks
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

What do you mean, Ed?

Nina

I deleted the msg before I closed the page. It appears that I have to be very careful posting on KS because it seems I'm labeled as a trouble maker but since you asked...

I know many people in F/G and F/W. They deal with more than just reptiles and more than just tortoises.

In the original post... I'm guessing they are doing the best they can with what they have. Their other option... kill the tortoises.

The care information given is a basic care scheme. Is it the best care you can offer? No but it is a minimal option.

The post I was responding to seemed a little slanderous and I was going to question why it was not removed.

I get a little upset with the rightous or self-rightous. Sorry.

Let's see how long this post lasts.

>>What do you mean, Ed?
>>
>>Nina
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

I see what you're saying, Ed, and they are obviously trying to do the best they can to save some of these tortoises and to educate the public, but I didn't think the posting was either slanderous or self-righteous -- the poster was just saying that they were 'disappointed' in the talk and 'very concerned about the welfare of many of the tortoises', given the very basic information that was given and the level of knowledge of the audience (given some of the questions they were asking). The 'easy pet for kids to take care of' advert also seems to me to be somewhat misleading and open to misinterpretation.

Nina

anybody know who to contact and can you do it from out of state
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GOOSEBALLS

lamina1982@hotmail.com