After a wet winter, spring flowers and other plants sprouted with vigor — a double-edged sword for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise, as the same luscious vegetation they feast on could put them at risk in hot, dry Southern Utah.
Increased moisture will positively impact the species by providing a greater forage variety during their active spring season, said Ann McLuckie, a wildlife biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Tortoises are more likely to be out and about as they feed.
Additionally, this year’s juveniles will have a better chance of survival as “when they break out of their eggshell and come to the surface, there’s going to be additional forage for them,” McLuckie said.
More precipitation can also increase growth rates, so these young reptiles are more likely to reach adulthood, she added.
Read more at StGeorgeUtah.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state.