I joined the Turtle Survival Alliance to track Radiated tortoises in the wilds of the spiny forest — a punishing three-week overland journey across southern Madagascar.
Written by: Kevin Gepford
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Galápagos tortoises may make annual treks of 10-15 km seeking food, water, and nesting grounds. In March I spent three weeks on Santa Cruz island with biologist Patrick Moldowan to learn more.
Written by: Kevin Gepford
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Springtime on the untouched veld of the Northern Cape, in South Africa, yields wild outbursts of flower power. The landscape harbors a wealth of bulbs — more than 1,350 species, including 80 endemics — that don’t, and can’t, grow anywhere else.
Written by: Kevin Gepford
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François Leguat Reserve is built on the concept of rewilding with giant tortoises, to serve their natural ecological functions and help do their part in restoring a portion of the island’s coastal ecosystem. More than 3,000 tortoises live on the 20-hectare reserve — replacement species for the original tortoises that went extinct.
Written by: Kevin Gepford
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The 10-year-old Turtle Survival Center in the pinewoods of South Carolina’s coastal plain is ground zero for the TSA’s long-term management and captive breeding program in North America.
Written by: Kevin Gepford
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It’s February in St. George, Utah, snow is on the mountains, and I’m hiking in tortoise country with about 40 other tortoise nerds. We’re here for the Desert Tortoise Council symposium, and early arrivers like me are rewarded with a field trip.
Written by: Kevin Gepford
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The Turtle Conservancy is one of those places that just seems beyond anything that should reasonably be expected to exist.
Written by: Kevin Gepford
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A tortoise count is happening in the Coachella Valley— and I’m tagging along.
Written by: Kevin Gepford
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Desert Sunlight Solar Project was one of the first significant installations in the Mojave. I decided to get a fresh perspective on it, from the air.
Written by: Kevin Gepford
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There’s an entire industry set up to manage tortoise populations. At the center of the action is the Desert Tortoise Council, a brain trust of biologists, ecologists, and conservationists who have been training people for 30 years to help protect these tortoises.
Written by: Kevin Gepford
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Aldabra atoll is many things: It’s the second largest atoll in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and home to many endemic plants and animals including more than 100,000 giant tortoises. Two biologists share their experiences.
Written by: Kevin Gepford
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When you set foot in the Hall of African Mammals at the American Museum of Natural History for the first time, it’s startling to see the elephant’s foot… at eye level.
Written by: Kevin Gepford
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Lonesome George’s time on earth ended before I ever got to meet him.
Written by: Kevin Gepford
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