|
 On
July 12, a desert tortoise was adopted by
Clark County, and placed into a newly created habitat at the
Clark County Government Center.
Bringing
a live desert tortoise to a public facility is much more
challenging than it appears. Clark County overcame several challenges including a limited budget,
misperceptions about desert tortoises in captivity, and
proper care and protection of native species. This
unique project also gave special consideration to the
reflective glass surrounding the area, the relatively
small size of the area, and the needs of the desert
tortoise for sufficient food and shelter.
The
Clark County Desert Conservation Program is required to
provide public information and education to the public
on the desert tortoise and native species of the Mojave Desert. One of the best ways for people to truly
understand the native environment is through real-life
experiences. The idea of bringing a live desert
tortoise to the Clark
County
Government Center came from community representatives in 2004.
This
entire educational habitat that will sustain a live
desert tortoise and provide years of public enjoyment
came in under budget with a total cost of
$125,000. This natural area now provides public
information and education about the tortoise and the Mojave Desert
.
As
part of this effort, Clark County asked the public for help in naming the new female
tortoise, and launched a tortoise-naming contest.
Clark
County received more than 400 entries. Students,
teachers, and families submitted their entries for the
tortoise. Some great suggestions were submitted
and some of the entries receiving an honorable mention
include: Boulder Betty, Desert Dawn, Mojave Mindy,
and Tiptoe Tina.
 All
of the entries were reviewed for how well the name would
represent the new Clark County tortoise, and originality. The entries were voted
on by County Management, and one winning name was selected.
The winning name “Cactus Cate” was submitted by two
people -- Jessica Petrillo and Laura Bruni-Bondi.
Congratulations!
The
public is in encouraged to visit the new desert tortoise
habitat and learn more about the desert tortoise and
local wildlife. The public is invited to visit
Cactus Cate any time during business hours.
(Monday – Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, excluding Holidays).
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