By Nicole Wexler | Director of Development
Dear Desert Tortoise Supporters,
We last reported on two eggs in our incubation center – we are very happy to report that both hatched successfully and we now have two more adorable tiny tortoises in our breeding group.
You may recall that Testudo werneri is one of the smallest tortoise species in the Mediterranean region, with a historical distribution in northeastern Egypt, Sinai, and parts of the Negev desert in Israel. Populations in Egypt are already practically extinct due to factors affecting their habitat and collection for the pet trade. Currently, T. werneri has a national Israel Red List status of Endangered and in 2003 it qualified globally for listing as Critically Endangered under current IUCN Red List Criteria.
We continue our breeding efforts in the hope of changing this dire situation in the wild.
Yours, in hope -
Team Tortoise at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo
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