28th Annual Meeting and Symposium of the
Desert Tortoise Council, February 21-23, 2003
Abstracts

STUDENT PAPER

Movement Patterns of Translocated Desert Tortoises

Amber K. Blythe¹, Don E. Swann², Robert J. Steidl³, and Eric W. Stitt^4
1Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 310 Biological Sciences West, Tucson, AZ, 85721; 
²Saguaro National Park, 3693 South Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ, 85730; 
^3,4 School of Renewable Natural Resources, University of Arizona, 325 Biological Sciences East, Tucson, AZ, 85721

Translocation is often advocated as a conservation strategy for wildlife, including desert tortoises. The effectiveness of translocating tortoises likely depends on a host of factors including the physical availability of habitat and potential issues related to social structure. We examined how Sonoran Desert Tortoises responded to short-distance translocations from an area scheduled for development near Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Arizona. We assessed the effects of three translocated distances for nine tortoises. Movements of tortoises translocated 800 m, the maximum distance tested, differed from controls in all aspects measured, including, increases in total distance moved, net displacement, area traversed, and fractal dimension of each path. Tortoises returned to their home ranges within a few days of being translocated, regardless of the distance. Translocations < 800 m are not likely to be effective for tortoises on lands being developed, and more research is needed to understand homing ability in desert tortoises and the implications of this behavior for translocations.