department of the interior mail - ss1018 mortality report

Cota, Melanie <mcota@blm.gov>

SS1018 Mortality Report1 message

Chris Bedwell <cbedwell@ironwoodbio.com> Sat, May 31, 2014 at 6:56 PMTo: Melanie Cota <mcota@blm.gov>Cc: Mark Slaughter <mslaught@blm.gov>, Michael Burroughs <michael_burroughs@fws.gov>, Chris Blandford<chris@ironwoodbio.com>, Kurt Sanderson <kurt@ironwoodbio.com>, Kathy Simon <kathy@ironwoodbio.com>, RachelWoodard <rachwoodard@earthlink.net>, Kelly Herbinson <kellyherbinson@gmail.com>

SS1018 was found dead May 29th just before 1400 by Corey Mitchell at 652978/3944161. I received a callfrom her upon discovery and called the BLM by 1410 to inform them. Her mortality form and photos areattached and this is from her email:

“Here are some photos from the resident tortoise, SS1018, I found dead in the corridor today. I've also attached the

mortality form with my notes. The carcass was very clean except for the few tooth marks described. No scat or tracks

in the immediate vicinity, the substrate was gravel/rock and nothing was obvious. I found a few possible large tracks

(size of my palm) in the wash 7-10 m away but again with that substrate it was difficult to tell definitely what I was

looking at.”

Tortoise was found on carapace with head, forelimbs, and pectoral girdle gone. The hind limbs and tailappear completely intact. A couple tooth marks can be seen on the shell, but no extensive shell trauma ispresent. There is a photo attached of a matted down Krameria where the predator/scavenger appears tohave laid down to eat. A couple bones (with possible suspect hairs) were found in the bush that can beseen in a separate attached photo. Corey revisited the carcass May 30th to remove the transmitter andnoted the presence of maggots that had not been there the day prior. This would suggest the time ofdeath was probably 2-4 days before the 29th.

1018 was found at the base of the Lucy Gray Mountains about 1.5k from the nearest project boundary near aburrow. Below are the tracking events for this animal over the past couple weeks:

15-May-14Health/BloodDraw

651720 3943830 Cover Visible Resting

16-May-14 Daily Check 651925 3943944 Cover Visible Resting

17-May-14 Daily Check 651923 3943931 Open Visible Locomotion

21-May-14 Weekly Check 653024 3943860 Cover Visible Resting

The attached map shows the carcass location in relation to the project, recent tracking locations, nearbyknown male tortoise locations, and a burrow known to have been used by 1018. We have been trackingthis animal since Fall 2012 and have more movement data if needed.

this animal since Fall 2012 and have more movement data if needed.

Please contact us with any questions or comments.

Chris Bedwell

Designated Biologist,Silver State SouthSubcontractor forIronwood Consulting, Inc.c. 702.683.5266e. cbedwell@ironwoodbio.com

7 attachments

Mortality form SS1018.jpg580K

P1020293.jpg903K

P1020296.jpg888K

P1020302.jpg763K

P1020306.jpg956K

P1020310.jpg813K

DT_Mortality_20140530.pdf1025K