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ST. GEORGE — Jennifer Stone and Fred Armstrong lean on the ground to peer into what could be a Mojave desert tortoise burrow. On the other side of a large wash, Debi Turner and Ash Sargent navigate rocky, sandy terrain to scout for any sign of the reptiles.
These four comprised one of two volunteer groups from the nonprofit Conserve Southwest Utah in the area that Saturday morning, March 16.
Walking along the edge of washes and on "soil benches," the narrow strips of land between steeper slopes, each group photographed and recorded potential signs of Mojave desert tortoises, such as scat, burrows or the reptiles themselves.
"I have a heartfelt thanks for the volunteers that have been involved with our program," said Fred Armstrong, stewardship coordinator for Conserve Southwest Utah.
Once promising tortoise burrows are identified, the group can place remote monitoring cameras to determine whether they're actively being used, he said.
John Kellam, Bureau of Land Management wildlife biologist for the Red Cliffs and Beaver Dam Wash national conservation areas, said the nonprofit is in Year 2 of the project, which was funded, designed and coordinated by the local BLM office.
