Baby tortoises found at a St. George wildlife reserve
Sep 9, 2024, 6:00 AM | Updated: 7:19 am
Six baby tortoises were found in a St. George wildlife reserve. (Red Cliffs Desert Reserve via Facebook)
(Red Cliffs Desert Reserve via Facebook)
ST. GEORGE, Utah — There are six new unplanned additions at The Red Cliffs Desert Reserve in St. George.
Caregivers were surprised to find Mojave Desert Tortoise hatchlings on their reserve. They were primarily surprised because they keep adult tortoises separated while in their care. The mother had been at the reserve for an extended period of time.
They suspect the mother was already carrying them when she arrived at the reserve.
“Lo and behold, our field technician was out there, checking on the tortoises, giving them water, and he finds six baby tortoises,” said Outreach and Education coordinator, Ammon Teare.
He says they now have a display at the reserve featuring the babies to bring awareness to this threatened species.
“We’d like to take this opportunity especially with these hatchlings, to convey to the public how fragile the species really is,” he said.
They can be seen on St. George trails this time of year and they want people to be respectful to the animals and their habitat.
“If you get the opportunity to see a little baby tortoise, that’s fantastic, take photos, tell people all about it. But please remember to be respectful and leave the tortoises alone.”
The baby tortoises are healthy and will be released into the wild soon.
