Characteristics of burrows used by juvenile and neonate desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) during hiberation
Hazard LC and Morafka DJ. 2004. Characteristics of burrows used by juvenile and neonate desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) during hiberation. Journal of Herpetology. 38(3):443-447
The authors studied desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) at the juvenile tortoise nursery at the U.S. Army National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. In October 1999, 12 neonates and 12 nursery-raised juvenile desert tortoise were fitted with radiotransmitters, released near the pen, and periodically tracked. Some of the age-related differences in behavior in selection of hibernation burrows, habitat range, and foraging plants should be incorporated into future conservation plans involving long-term use of desert tortoise nurseries.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Hazard, Lisa; Morafka, David
- Units
- JOTR
- Keywords
- conservation measures, Desert Tortoise, disease predation, Fort Irwin California, Gopherus agassizii, Habitat Loss, hibernation burrow, neonate juvenile, Population Decline, radiotransmitters, Taxa Links To References, Threatened Species, tortoise nursery