Biologists Scott Hillard and Chris Wiese of the Turner Endangered Species Fund with a Bolson Tortoise. Courtesy/NMWF

New Mexico Wildlife Federation News:

Biologists in southern New Mexico have been nurturing a population of rare tortoises over the past nearly 20 years. Starting with 30 adults, they’ve raised hundreds of juveniles on a private ranch and now are on track to relocate a group to the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge this fall.

Dr. Chris Wiese, a senior biologist with the Turner Endangered Species Fund, directs the program to restore the endangered Bolson Tortoise, the largest and rarest tortoise species native to North America.

Wiese will talk about the tortoise restoration project as the featured speaker for the New Mexico Wildlife Federation’s free Wildlife Wednesday series in July. Her free presentation will start at 5:30 p.m., July 10, at the Marble Brewery Northeast Heights Taproom, 9904 Montgomery Blvd., NE., in Albuquerque.