Page 11 - full mag fall 2017 flip

Friends oF red rock canyon 11

Article and Photos By Sue and Roger Kolar

wo new female tortoises arrived at the quarantined and when the fence came down,
T Red Rock Canyon Tort Habitat on July 19. Roxie explored the habitat and made new friends.
They were adopted through the Tortoise Group On the first feeding day, Roxie sat in the middle
and Kelsey Retich, Bureau of Land Management of Willie’s dish. Willie was unfazed and just ate
Wildlife Biologist, signed the adoption papers to around her!
make it official. The two girls came from the same
home and are related, probably sisters. The other tortoise is named Desert Rose or
Rosie. We asked the Habitat Volunteers for name
suggestions and that name got the most votes.
Rosie is about 30 years old and weighs almost
nine pounds. About the same size as Betty, Rosie
is friendly
and curious.
She sampled
every plant
in the habitat
and found
that a few
are not tasty!
Kelsey Retich (BLM Wildlife Biologist) and Sarah She is stay-
Mortimer of the Tortoise Group showing off the ing close to
adoption certificates the burrow
that is near-
est to the visitor center. We look forward to see-
One of the tortoises is a juvenile about seven to ing Roxie grow up and watching how Rosie will
ten years old. We named her Red Rock Roxie or fit in with the other girls.
just Roxie.
She weighs We stopped feeding the torts on Septem-
almost two ber 30. It takes them up to thirty days to
pounds and digest their food and it is best if they enter
is about eight brumation with an empty stomach. They’ll
inches long. start brumating in October and November
Her shell is and will stay in their burrows until Febru-
greenish and ary or March. Younger tortoises may be
when she active longer, so we’ll have to see what
hides under Roxie does this fall.
a bush, it’s
really difficult This season 60 volunteers spent more
to see her. The than 1,400 hours taking care of the torts.
new tortoises Thanks for all of your help!
were briefly

Fall 2017