One of the coolest things about working with the National Park Service is the opportunities to work with scientists in the field, and learn things that would be difficult to come across in every day life. Today I was able to join some interpretive rangers on an outing with a park biologist who works with the desert tortoise population here. A couple of the tortoises need their radio transmitters replaced and we were invited to tag along to watch the process. Tortoises are very sensitive animals so biologists follow many rules in safely working with them. Temperature is a huge factor, and there is a safe range to work within. Keeping them calm is important as well, an agitated tortoise might urinate, loosing precious water. Tortoises can survive for a year or more without water by reabsorbing water from their bladders. Everyone was very quiet and still to reduce stress, and only the trained biologists handled the tortoises, never lifting them more than a couple inches off the ground. We were all learning much about these fascinating animals, which will help these interpretive rangers share a greater depth of knowledge with visitors.
