A group of water-starved Southwestern Pond turtles, a "species of special concern," was recently saved from California's ongoing drought as part of a rescue mission from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Elizabeth Lake is home to one of the largest populations of native pond turtles left in Southern California. At its fullest, the lake is about 23 feet deep, but with the state suffering from the worst drought in 100 years, now half of it is dried up. This spells disaster for turtles and other wildlife living there.
But at least one band of 60 pond turtles can breathe a sigh of relief.
Scientists with the UCLA La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, along with the state's Department of Fish and Wildlife, found and rescued dehydrated, emaciated and stressed-out turtles who were so in need of water that they could barely move.
"In the middle of a hot sunny day they were just wandering around on the shore of the lake and could barely move," Brad Shaffer with the La Kretz Center told CBS News. "They were just acting very, very strangely."
The animals were not only lethargic, but some of their heads, feet and shells were also covered in a thick, white crust of mineral deposits. That's because the lake's become increasingly alkaline and salty, which, combined with sun exposure, results in this cement-like coating.
Half of the rescued bunch now has a temporary home at UCLA, while the remaining 30 went to the Turtle Conservancy's captive breeding facility in Ojai. As for the UCLA turtles, they were so thirsty that they immediately started drinking the water in their tanks. But after a month of intensive care, researchers are already seeing improvements, with the turtles feeding and gaining weight.
Even before California's current drought, Elizabeth Lake's 300-500 Southwestern Pond turtles were suffering. Shaffer and his team realized last year that they were genetically different than pond turtles further north thought to be the same species. So essentially, in one fell swoop Southwestern Pond turtle numbers were cut in half.
Despite this hurdle, UCLA researchers believe their rescue mission could help ensure the survival of this population once they return both fully healthy groups to the wild.
"We intend to release the turtles back into Elizabeth Lake after the [anticipated] winter rains refill the lake and restore it ecologically," Shaffer said in a statement.
That will likely be in Spring 2015.
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