Endangered Dinosaurs: Desert Tortoise Ecology & Conservation
Schedule
Sun May 03 2026 at 06:00 pm to 10:00 pm
UTC+02:00Location
29 Palms | Koblenz, RP
Learn about the endangered desert tortoise, our living dinosaurs! This class covers behavior, adaptations, and the techniques used to monitor and understand them. Take this information into an important habitat to spot the clues used to track tortoises. Your enrollment directly supports the Desert Tortoise Tracking Program in Joshua Tree National Park! Visit joshuatree.org/wildlife-conservation to learn more. The lecture portion of this class takes place at Joshua Tree National Park Headquarters in Twentynine Palms. The outdoor portion takes place at Lost Horse Road in Joshua Tree National Park. Anyone may attend! No expertise or experience is required.Entry to Joshua Tree National Park is not included in the cost of enrollment. Visit recreation.gov or a visitor center to purchase your pass ahead of time. No meals or equipment are provided. The outdoor portion is leisurely. It requires less than 2 miles of walking with shade, seating, consistent terrain, and little to no elevation gain. Meet Your Instructor! Brian Henen has researched and helped conserve ten species of tortoises of Africa, Asia, and North America, beginning with the energy and water requirements of adult female, egg-producing, Mojave Desert Tortoises. These studies include sequencing the genome of the Mojave Desert Tortoise, genetically assessing the sperm storage and multiple paternity of desert tortoise clutches, the temperature dependence of hatchling sex ratios in relation to nest temperatures, poaching effects on tortoise health, and tortoise nutrition. Dr. Henen has contributed to multi-agency conservation initiatives, conservation assessments of sub-Saharan turtles and tortoises, and co-supervision of several PhD, MSc, and Honors students. Equipment list: A minimum of 2 to 3 liters of water, food and snacks, closed-toe athletic shoes or hiking boots — no sandals are permitted, including hiking sandals, sun protection, including hat, sunglasses, sunscreen — light-colored long-sleeved shirts are recommended Daypack to carry equipment and personal items, notebook and writing utensil, full tank of gas prior to arriving at the meeting location. This tortoise is being handled by a trained ranger. Please admire wildlife from a distance and do not attempt to handle animals in the wild. Photo credit: NPS Shay Spatz
Where is it happening?
29 Palms, Palmsgarten 29, 56288 Kastellaun, Deutschland, Koblenz, Germany
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