With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
UCLA Scientist Finds Surprise About Tortoises' Long Lives
A sign reads 'Slow For Tortoise' in Joshua Tree National Park, May 18, 2020 (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
()
A struggling population of tortoises native to the Mojave Desert has led UCLA scientists to rethink how to save threatened species.
The region’s tortoise population has been on the decline in recent decades despite conservation efforts. Experts at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been relocating the animals to protected areas for years, but survival rates remain low.
Evolutionary biologist Brad Shaffer, director of UCLA’s La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, says that he recently discovered some surprising information about what’s best for the tortoises. After studying 20 years worth of data comparing living and dead tortoises, he expected to find that they were safest if they weren’t moved too far from their natural habitats.
Instead, he found that a common trait among the surviving tortoises was genetic diversity.
Support for LAist comes from
“Where [they] came from just didn’t matter at all,” Shaffer said.
Shaffer and his colleagues scrutinized the data for bias, but the results remained consistent.
Shaffer hopes further research into genetic diversity can help other SoCal wildlife such as bison and bighorn sheep.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades. -
More than half of sales through September have been to corporate developers. Grassroots community efforts continue to work to combat the trend.
Best of LAist