Two Egyptian tortoises walked their way into the public spotlight this week at Woodland Park Zoo. Hatched at the end of December, the quarter-sized tortoises can now be seen in the Day Exhibit. The species is now extinct in Egypt and faces global extinction unless more action is taken to protect the species.

This tiny desert-living tortoise is facing intense pressures in the wild. Habitat destruction and human encroachment have devastated the Egyptian tortoise’s native habitat, and the illegal international pet trade has nearly depleted wild populations. Only small populations of the species remain in Libya.

More than 40 Egyptian tortoises have hatched at the zoo since the first hatching in 2004. The breeding program helps maintain genetic diversity and is part of the zoo’s commitment to the conservation of this species. The zoo has supported the Egyptian Tortoise Conservation Program since 2001.

The Egyptian Tortoise Conservation Program addresses the habitat degradation and pet trade threats to wild tortoise populations by collaborating with the Bedouin community, empowering them to patrol for wildlife collectors. It also engages the community in scientific research, collecting data to study the effectiveness of habitat restoration on tortoise populations. To help reduce the economic reliance on the pet trade, the conservation program operates a handicraft project that gives the larger local community an alternative, more sustainable source of income. Public outreach and visits to local schools help to raise awareness of tortoise conservation and generate a sense of conservation stewardship in the community and its future generations.

For more information, visit the Woodland Park Zoo website at www.zoo.org or call 206.548.2500 or 548.2599 (TTY).