Health Assessment Procedures for the Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii): A Handbook Pertinent to Translocation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Desert Tortoise Recovery Office May 2011 Desert Tortoise Health Assessment Procedures i Health Assessment Procedures for the Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii): A Handbook Pertinent to Translocation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Desert Tortoise Recovery Office This document was developed to accompany a hands‐on training course in conducting health assessments on desert tortoises for translocation screening and monitoring purposes. Wendland et al. (2009), Handbook on Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus): Health Evaluation Procedures for Use by Land Managers and Researchers, served as a template and with permission of the authors, several sections were adapted or modified only slightly. Document preparation (alphabetical) Roy Averill‐Murray, MS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Desert Tortoise Recovery Office Kimberleigh Field, MS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Desert Tortoise Recovery Office Jay Johnson, DVM Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital Paula Kahn, PhD San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, Desert Tortoise Conservation Center Nadine Lamberski, DVM, DACZM San Diego Zoo Safari Park P.K. Robbins, DVM San Diego Zoo Concept and decision point development and/or review Kristin Berry, PhD, U.S. Geological Survey; Josephine Braun, PhD, DVM, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research; Mary Brown, PhD, University of Florida; Deana Clifford, DVM, MPVM, PhD., California Department of Fish and Game; Kristina Drake, MS, U.S. Geological Survey; Peter Hudson, PhD, Penn State University; Bruce Rideout, PhD, DVM, DACVP, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research; Jerry Simecka, PhD, University of North Texas; Ron Swaisgood, PhD, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research; Bill Taylor, DVM, Mountain Vista Animal Hospital; Dick Tracy, PhD, University of Nevada‐Reno; Lori Wendland, PhD, DVM, University of Florida; Peregrine Wolff, DVM, Nevada Department of Wildlife. This handbook can be accessed through the Desert Tortoise Recovery Office’s website. http://www.fws.gov/nevada/desert_tortoise/index.html Recommended Citation: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2011. Health Assessment Procedures for the Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii): A Handbook Pertinent to Translocation. Desert Tortoise Recovery Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Reno, Nevada. Notice: Mention of trade names, products, or services does not convey, and should not be interpreted as conveying, official U.S. government approval, endorsement, or recommendation. Desert Tortoise Health Assessment Procedures ii Table of Contents 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Background ............................................................................................................................................... 4 Objective ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Scope ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Approach .................................................................................................................................................. 5 2. Preparing to Work with Desert Tortoises ................................................................................................ 6 Permits ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 Human‐risk minimization protocols ........................................................................................................ 6 3. Health and Disease Overview .................................................................................................................. 7 Importance ............................................................................................................................................... 7 How health is measured .......................................................................................................................... 7 4. Health and Diseases of Desert Tortoises ................................................................................................. 9 5. Conducting Health Assessments ............................................................................................................ 12 Disinfection/sanitation protocols .......................................................................................................... 12 Tortoise capture/handling ..................................................................................................................... 12 Physical examinations ............................................................................................................................ 12 Diagnostic tests ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Biological sample collection ................................................................................................................... 13 Biological sample storage ...................................................................................................................... 14 Hydration after voiding .......................................................................................................................... 14 6. Interpreting Results and Making Decisions ........................................................................................... 16 Interpreting results ................................................................................................................................ 16 Management decisions .......................................................................................................................... 17 References .................................................................................................................................................. 18 Glossary ...................................................................................................................................................... 23 Desert Tortoise Health Assessment Procedures iii Appendix A: Disinfection and Sanitation ................................................................................................... 30 Appendix B: Completing the Health Assessments and Data Collection Form ......................................... 32 Appendix C: Clinical Signs of Disease in Desert Tortoise .......................................................................... 47 Appendix D: Body Condition Scores for Desert Tortoises......................................................................... 48 Appendix E: Biological Sampling Supplies ................................................................................................. 49 Appendix F: Protocols for Biological Sampling, and Sample Processing, Storage, and Shipment .......... 52 Appendix F.1: Preparing for Biological Sampling (Before Handling the Tortoise) ............................... 53 Appendix F.2: Ticks ................................................................................................................................. 58 Appendix F.3: Oral Cavity Exam and Oral Swab .................................................................................... 59 Appendix F.4: Nasal Lavage ................................................................................................................... 61 Appendix F.5: Blood Sampling ............................................................................................................... 63 Appendix F.6: Rehydration .................................................................................................................... 67 Appendix F.7: Processing Biological Samples (After Handling the Tortoise) ....................................... 71 Appendix F.8: Shipping Samples ............................................................................................................ 75 Appendix G. Algorithm for Evaluating if Desert Tortoises are Suitable for Translocation ...................... 80 Appendix H: Disposition Plan Template .................................................................................................... 81 1. Introduction Background The Mojave population of desert tortoises (i.e., all tortoises living north and west of the Colorado River in Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and California) is federally protected as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act (USFWS 1990). The Sonoran population, south and east of the Colorado River, is listed as a Candidate under the Endangered Species Act, having been determined to be warranted for listing, but precluded by higher priority actions (USFWS 2010). State laws also protect the desert tortoise. Some projects that occur in desert tortoise habitat are not compatible with the continued existence of tortoises in and around the project sites. Recently, numerous energy‐development projects (primarily solar and wind) have gained approval to construct such facilities in areas inhabited by desert tortoises. In an attempt to minimize impacts on desert tortoises, many projects propose to displace tortoises