Page 9 - summer 2019

8 Friends oF red rock canyon Friends oF red rock canyon 9

down, wetting the layers as we filled the tunnel. Our human guests were
We also installed a wall at the back of the corru- treated to coffee and some
gated tubing to prevent Max from digging while adorable tortoise cupcakes
the soil sets. We will remove the barrier in the fall, from Daisy Cakes. The tor-
and we think the packed dirt will give Max a stur- toises dined on tortoise chow
dier, more homogeneous substrate through which and had kale for “dessert.”
to dig, should he decide to renovate again.

Article and Photos by Chelsea Conlin The first Tortoise Habitat Volunteer Training Roxie also had a dramatic entrance this spring.
Session was held on April 6. We welcomed six Even though we knew she was no longer in her
ue to lots of cold, rainy weather, the good health; and we all breathed a sigh of relief. new volunteers, and they have already proven to winter burrow, volunteers couldn’t locate her un-
til May 1, when she emerged from under a bush
Dspring got off to a slow start for the Rock be a big help! May 1 was the next training, with totally covered in mud! We had known about the
Stars. But it has certainly been eventful for our Max’s dramatic entrance aside, most of the another six attendees. Great turnouts! small burrow she’d dug for herself under that
Tortoise Habitat Volunteers. other Rock Stars —more on that later — emerged bush last summer, but hadn’t been able to see
from brumation throughout March. Hugo was the Once the weather warmed up, the torts’ me- her in it this spring. Like
On February 15, one of Max’s burrows col- first one at the beginning of the month and Lucie tabolisms picked up Max’s burrow, we think
lapsed due to prolonged, heavy rains. This was the last at the end. They all remained slug- right away. While they the excessive rains must
happens in the wild as well, but it is one reason gish for several weeks because of the cold, wet hadn’t been very in- have collapsed some of
Friends of Red Rock Canyon (Friends) volun- weather that prevailed through March and the terested in food during it behind her, so she had
teers continue to monitor the tortoise habitat all first half of April. March and the begin- to dig her way out. The
year round. Upon discovering the collapse, volun- ning of April, by the hazards of being a burrow
teers – as well as Bureau of Land Management During that time, visitors to Red Rock enjoyed end of the month they dweller!
(BLM) and Opportunity Village staff – all pitched the Mojave Desert Tortoise Exhibit in the Visi- were eating with gusto!
in on two separate days to excavate the collapsed tor Center. It included information about tortoise With summer upon Tortoises should never eat
burrow but were unable to find Max either there biology, behavior, and environment, along with us, make sure to visit the sweets, but we couldn’t help
or in his intact burrow. photos of the Rock Stars and volunteers. Max is the only Rock Star whose age we know. habitat early if you want to getting a quick shot of Max
He was hatched at the Desert Tortoise Conserva- see the Rock Stars. They and a tort cupcake. He seemed
Volunteers dedicated to the preservation of Red Rock Canyon
Volunteers used a scope-style camera – like On March 24, several dedicated volunteers tion Center in 1989. The rest of our tortoises are eat breakfast at 8 a.m. on interested!
the type designed to look into plumbing – to peer came out to the rescues, so we can only make educated guesses Wednesdays and Saturdays, and get soaked at the
into Max’s intact burrow, but it was too dark to habitat to repair as to their ages. With that in mind, we decided to same time on Mondays. The torts love visitors,
make out any details at the back. Everyone was Max’s collapsed have a party for Max’s 30th birthday on April 27. and volunteers are always happy to answer your
extremely worried and confused, so Friends pur- burrow. We’ve questions.
chased a new been using
scope camera heavy-duty cor-
to replace the rugated tubing Did you notice the new signage?
old one. We cut in half to
thought we form the arch of Sadly, some Habitat visitors
could see some the burrows in think it is acceptable to try to
scat at the back our habitat, and touch or handle the Rock Stars.
of the intact all of that was Some guests have even thrown
burrow, but still intact. How- food into the enclosures. A slice
the light was ever, Max had of pizza was discovered in Hugo’s
still too dim to been busy over area but, being a vegan, he wanted
tell for sure if the past few nothing to do with it.
Max might have dug a side tunnel at the back. On years and had Help us spread awareness of the
March 15, the BLM Wildlife Biologist brought dug an extensive proper etiquette for enjoying our
his office’s high-powered scope camera to the tunnel leading beloved Rock Stars.
habitat. Finally, we were able to see Max’s tail out from the back of the corrugated tubing. Since
and one hind foot, confirming that he was safe! that was the section that had collapsed, volunteers The Kids thank you.
On March 17, Max emerged, very dirty but in filled it in with fine, compact soil. We packed it

the Rock - Volume 9 Issue 4 Summer 2019