Walk Like a Rare Egyptian Tortoise
January 20, 2011
The Woodland Park Zoo is going to great lengths to help protect a tiny little tortoise. Critically endangered in the wild, the Egyptian Tortoise is the smallest tortoise in the Northern Hemisphere and, despite it's name, is now extinct in Egypt. Habitat destruction, human encroachment, and poaching for the pet trade continue to threaten small remaining wild population in Libya. Luckily, the Woodland Park Zoo in concert with the Egyptian Tortoise Conservation Program helps address these challenges in part by working closely with the Beduoin community, empowering them to patrol for wildlife collectors. Learn more about what Woodland Park Zoo is doing on their blog. Don't miss the great video set to a snappy tune below.
Photo and video credits: Ryan Hawk / Woodland Park Zoo