Page 7 - B Fall 2012 magazine

By Roger and Sue Kolar

We have another mouth to feed at the Red Rock Tortoise Habitat and it is a big one! An enormous tortoise has been

living at the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center (DTCC) for more than a year. Someone moved out of their Las Ve-
gas home and left him behind. A neighbor looked over the wall, saw the tortoise and called the DTCC Pet Desert Tor-
toise Hotline (702-488-9422). When the DTCC staff arrived to pick him up, the neighbor told them that their standard
transport box was definitely not big enough. The neighbor was right; he was the largest desert tortoise the DTCC staff
had ever seen!

The big tortoise cannot be released into the wild because of his size. He wouldn't be able to find enough food to stay

healthy. When the Friends Tortoise Habitat Monitors were
asked if we would take care of him in the habitat, our an-
swer was a big “Yes!” The Bureau of Land Management
built a new, separate habitat at the Visitor Center. It is lo-
cated between the existing habitat and the viewing plat-

form. His custom-made burrow is constructed from ply-
wood because the black tubing used for the other tortoise
burrows is not large enough.

The enormous tortoise arrived at 8:30 A.M. on Thursday,
th
September 6 . Fran Byers and Janis Kadlec, Red Rock
Canyon Interpretive Association staff members, carried his Katie Kleinick (BLM), Janis Kadlec, Roger Kolar and Fran
Byers transporting the Big Guy to his new home.
50-gallon tote into his habitat. Photo by Sue Kolar

His first stop was his new burrow: he looked in, hesitated a second or two, and then
decided to check out his new home. He walked to the end of the burrow and came back
out. It is large enough that he could turn around easily. Next, he walked all over the
habitat. He is very friendly and greeted the Tortoise Habitat Monitors and the visitors.

We measured him and his shell is 18 ½ inches long and 14 inches wide. He weighs al-
most 32 pounds. By comparison, Mojave Max's shell is 13 inches long and 9 inches
wide and Max weighs “only” 12 and a half pounds.

Maxine, previously the largest Tortoise Habitat resident, weighs about 16 pounds.
However, she would not come out to be measured: Maxine has been demoted to second
The Big Guy having a welcome -largest tortoise in the habitat and is not happy about it. (continued on page 14)
snack.

Photo by Sue Kolar
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