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Tortoise fans now armed with GPS
MORONGO BASIN - What started out as a simple way to make hiking more fun and educational may emerge as a new way for biologists to track California Desert tortoises.
This year, the Joshua Tree Tortoise Rescue began receiving e-mailed photographs and Global Positioning System coordinates from hikers who encountered tortoises in the Morongo Basin.
The tortoise rescue has been forwarding the GPS coordinates to the Joshua Tree National Park resource department for general information purposes. The park's wildlife ecologist, Amy Fesnock, asked if the sightings and coordinates could be more specific so the observations could be officially logged into the park's wildlife-tracking database.
When e-mailing the tortoise rescue with GPS coordinates of a tortoise or any wildlife, the following information should be included: GPS coordinates, a short written description of where the animal was observed, date and time of the observation and a short description of what the animal was doing - such as drinking or fighting. Also include your name, telephone number and e-mail address.
As always, whether marking a GPS coordinate or simply watching a tortoise, tortoise rescue spokeswoman Rae Packard reminds everyone not to touch or harm the tortoise in any way.
For information, call 369-1235 or tortusldy@juno.com.
This year, the Joshua Tree Tortoise Rescue began receiving e-mailed photographs and Global Positioning System coordinates from hikers who encountered tortoises in the Morongo Basin.
The tortoise rescue has been forwarding the GPS coordinates to the Joshua Tree National Park resource department for general information purposes. The park's wildlife ecologist, Amy Fesnock, asked if the sightings and coordinates could be more specific so the observations could be officially logged into the park's wildlife-tracking database.
When e-mailing the tortoise rescue with GPS coordinates of a tortoise or any wildlife, the following information should be included: GPS coordinates, a short written description of where the animal was observed, date and time of the observation and a short description of what the animal was doing - such as drinking or fighting. Also include your name, telephone number and e-mail address.
As always, whether marking a GPS coordinate or simply watching a tortoise, tortoise rescue spokeswoman Rae Packard reminds everyone not to touch or harm the tortoise in any way.
For information, call 369-1235 or tortusldy@juno.com.
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