| serologic and molecular evidence for testudinid herpesvirus 2 infection in wild agassiz's desert tortoises, gopherus agassizii. | following field observations of wild agassiz's desert tortoises (gopherus agassizii) with oral lesions similar to those seen in captive tortoises with herpesvirus infection, we measured the prevalence of antibodies to testudinid herpesvirus (tehv) 3 in wild populations of desert tortoises in california. the survey revealed 30.9% antibody prevalence. in 2009 and 2010, two wild adult male desert tortoises, with gross lesions consistent with trauma and puncture wounds, respectively, were necropsied ... | 2012 | 22740541 |
| mojave desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii) thermal ecology and reproductive success along a rainfall cline. | desert resource environments (e.g. microclimates, food) are tied to limited, highly localized rainfall regimes which generate microgeographic variation in the life histories of inhabitants. typically, enhanced growth rates, reproduction and survivorship are observed in response to increased resource availability in a variety of desert plants and short-lived animals. we examined the thermal ecology and reproduction of us federally threatened mojave desert tortoises (gopherus agassizii), long-live ... | 2015 | 25827446 |
| drawing a line in the sand: effectiveness of off-highway vehicle management in california's sonoran desert. | public land policies manage multiple uses while striving to protect vulnerable plant and wildlife habitats from degradation; yet the effectiveness of such policies are infrequently evaluated, particularly for remote landscapes that are difficult to monitor. we assessed the use and impacts of recreational vehicles on mojave desert washes (intermittent streams) in the chemehuevi desert wildlife management area (dwma) of southern california. wash zones designated as open and closed to off-highway v ... | 2017 | 28238545 |
| clinical disease and laboratory abnormalities in free-ranging desert tortoises in california (1990-1995). | desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii) populations have experienced precipitous declines resulting from the cumulative impact of habitat loss and human and disease-related mortality. diagnosis of disease in live, free-ranging tortoises is facilitated by evaluation of clinical signs and laboratory test results but may be complicated by seasonal and environmental effects. the goals of this study were: 1) to describe and monitor clinical and laboratory signs of disease in adult, free-ranging desert t ... | 2003 | 12685067 |
| seroepidemiology of upper respiratory tract disease in the desert tortoise in the western mojave desert of california. | several factors have combined with an upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) to produce declines on some population numbers of desert tortoises (gopherus agassizii) in the western usa. this study was designed to determine the seroepidemiology of urtd in a population of wild adult tortoises at the desert tortoise research natural area (dtna) study site in kern county (california, usa). prior to initiation of the study, there was a dramatic decline in the number of individuals in this population. ... | 1999 | 10574531 |
| reference intervals and physiologic alterations in hematologic and biochemical values of free-ranging desert tortoises in the mojave desert. | desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii) populations have experienced precipitous declines resulting from the cumulative impact of habitat loss, and human and disease-related mortality. evaluation of hematologic and biochemical responses of desert tortoises to physiologic and environmental factors can facilitate the assessment of stress and disease in tortoises and contribute to management decisions and population recovery. the goal of this study was to obtain and analyze clinical laboratory data fr ... | 1999 | 10231748 |
| pathology of diseases in wild desert tortoises from california. | twenty-four ill or dead desert tortoises (gopherus agassizii) were received between march 1992 and july 1995 for necropsies from the mojave and colorado deserts of california (usa). diseases observed in these animals included cutaneous dyskeratosis (n = 7); shell necrosis (n = 2); respiratory diseases (n = 7); urolithiasis (n = 3); and trauma (n = 5). in tortoises with cutaneous dyskeratosis the horn layer of shell was disrupted by multiple crevices and fissures and, in the most severe lesions, ... | 1998 | 9706560 |
| herpesvirus particles associated with oral and respiratory lesions in a california desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii). | a 60-year-old captive california desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii) which died in august 1990 at the university of california, davis, california (usa), during treatment for colonic impaction had marked caseous necrosis of the oral cavity, choana, trachea, and lungs. numerous intranuclear inclusion bodies and a large number of syncytial giant cells were seen in the oral cavity and respiratory tract along with bacterial granulomas. pasteurella testudinis, streptococcus veridans, and coagulase-ne ... | 1996 | 8827680 |
| as the raven flies: using genetic data to infer the history of invasive common raven (corvus corax) populations in the mojave desert. | common raven (corvus corax) populations in mojave desert regions of southern california and nevada have increased dramatically over the past five decades. this growth has been attributed to increased human development in the region, as ravens have a commensal relationship with humans and feed extensively at landfills and on road-killed wildlife. ravens, as a partially subsidized predator, also represent a problem for native desert wildlife, in particular threatened desert tortoises (gopherus aga ... | 2008 | 17908216 |
| comparison of current methods for the detection of chronic mycoplasmal urtd in wild populations of the mojave desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii). | pathogens that cause subclinical diseases or exhibit low infection intensities are difficult to quantify in wild populations. mojave desert tortoises ( gopherus agassizii ) have been the focus of much research aimed at measuring the presence of upper respiratory disease (urtd) and urtd-associated pathogens, and techniques used to quantify disease in gopherus species have also been used for disease surveillance in other species of turtles and tortoises of conservation concern. published surveys o ... | 2017 | 27788056 |
| normal hemogram and blood chemistry values for california desert tortoises. | | 1982 | 6917624 |