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Behavioral Responses to Barriers by Desert Tortoises: Implications for Wildlife Management
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Behavioral Responses to Barriers by Desert Tortoises: Implications for Wildlife Management

Douglas E. Ruby, James R. Spotila, Stacia K. Martin and Stanley J. Kemp
Herpetological monographs, v 8
01 Jan 1994
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1467078

Abstract

Chickens Conservation Biology of the Desert Tortoise Corrals Culverts Deserts Fences Herpetology Highways Monographs Tortoises Tunnels
We conducted tests on the behavioral responses of captive desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) to barriers and highway obstacles. Desert tortoises are slow-moving but persistent wanderers in their natural habitat. Consequently, they move substantial distances when they meet a barrier that they cannot go around. Tortoises responded differently to solid and non-solid barriers when placed in small pens constructed of various materials. Our tests indicated that a screen mesh with small enough openings to exclude a tortoise's head was the most suitable barrier material. When tortoises were tested for 2 h periods or after an overnight stay in a barrier pen, rates of responses with barriers declined with time but tortoises continued movement along the barrier. In a choice situation, we found no preference by tortoises for following either solid or mesh barrier fences. Tortoises quickly walked past openings in a barrier which were too small to enter but easily escaped from a barrier pen within 30 min when openings of an appropriate size were available. We found tortoises willingly entered culverts under large highways and retreated from concrete highways barriers.

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