A Resurgence of Tortoises in the Heart of New Mexico

Biologists in New Mexico, Scott Hillard and Chris Wiese, along with their partner Ted Turner, have successfully brought back the Bolson tortoise species from the brink of extinction. The Bolson tortoise, once widespread across the Chihuahuan Desert, had dwindled to a small population in Mexico and was classified as critically endangered. Through their efforts, the Turner Endangered Species Fund has expanded the population to over 700 tortoises in less than twenty years. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has also joined the effort to potentially reintroduce the species into the New Mexican wilderness by 2023. With the first group of hatchlings now entering adulthood, there is optimism for the future of the Bolson tortoise. Biologists Hillard and Wiese are proud to see the success of their conservation efforts and believe that stable populations of these tortoises will eventually thrive once again in the wild. This remarkable comeback story of a once endangered species signifies hope for the future of wildlife conservation efforts in New Mexico.

Source
Photo credit www.kob.com