Tortoise populations can withstand fires every 30 years
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 - 10:30
in Biology & Nature
Populations of spur-thighed tortoises (Testudo graeca), a species classified as vulnerable and at risk of extinction, can withstand fires if outbreaks occur once every three decades or more. However, the youngest tortoises are more vulnerable, and disappear after each fire, new research suggests.