Stories
Ted Turner Ranch Boosts Rare North American Tortoise Population
- •A conservation breeding program at Ted Turner’s Armendaris Ranch in New Mexico has grown the population of rare Bolson tortoises from just 30 to around 800.
- •The species, which is North America's largest native tortoise, disappeared from the United States thousands of years ago due to habitat loss and hunting.
- •Since 2006, the initiative has produced over 400 hatchlings, with nearly two dozen adult tortoises released into a protected 16.5-acre enclosure in September 2023.
- •An 80-year-old female tortoise named Gertie remains a vital part of the breeding program, continuing to lay eggs and supporting the multi-generational recovery effort.
Key Questions Answered
Through a dedicated breeding and reintroduction programme backed by the Turner Endangered Species Fund, the captive population grew from an initial group of 30 tortoises to around 800 animals, aided by the production of more than 400 hatchlings since 2006.
In September 2023, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Turner organisation entered into a Safe Harbor Agreement. This legal arrangement provided regulatory assurances to support voluntary conservation and establish a framework for releasing the tortoises on private land.
The species faces severe threats including illegal collection for the pet trade, hunting for food, and the conversion of its native grassland habitats into agricultural land, leaving fewer than 2,500 wild animals remaining in north-central Mexico.
