Coyotes vs tortoises

Coyotes have killed at least 11 protected desert tortoises that were relocated to make way for Army tank training exercises north of Barstow, according to a story this week in the Press-Enterprise. Now, the coyotes will be tracked and possibly killed to protect the tortoises, the article that ran Wednesday said.

It's rare for coyotes to attack tortoises, but experts say the ongoing drought is making the scanvengers more desperate.

"The tortoises are a tough food item to eat with that big shell," said Roy Averill-Murray of the U.S. fish and Wildlife Service. "Rabbits would be easier, but when there aren't many rabbits, then tortoises seem to be thier next choice."

The Army started moving the tortoises in late March from the southern boundary of the National Training Center at Fort Irwin as part of an $8.5 million effort to deal with the threatened species while expanding its training grounds into the land considered critical for the tortoises, according to the newspaper story by reporter Jennifer Bowles.

Altogether, 23 tortoises has been killed since the relocation of more than 700 reptiles began. Others have been maimed. Two environmental groups are threatening to sue.