THE RAVEN

The large black raven has become a common sight in the Morongo Basin, but this was not always so:  Biologists estimate their population in the desert has increased 1000 percent in the last 35 years.  Ravens are opportunists, both scavenger and predator, and they thrive where humans impact the environment.

This has been bad news for the endangered desert tortoise:  A favorite raven food is tortoise hatchlings, with their soft shells.  In your desert wanderings you may have come across a tiny bleached shell that clearly had been attacked and penetrated by a predatory beak.

The best contribution Basin residents can make to controlling ravens and helping the tortoise survive is to avoid creating the conditions that support raven populations.  According to the Joshua Tree National Park Website, the following actions can help:

• Keep a lid on all garbage receptacles.
• Cover and store food.
• Do not feed any wildlife!
• Observe the speed limit: speeding increases the incidence of roadkill accidents.
• Use drip irrigation in your yard: pools of water attract ravens.
• Bring pet food and water bowls indoors when they are not being used by your pets.

LINKS:

• Joshua Tree National Park Website Raven page
• Fatal Attraction:  Ravens Threaten Desert Turtles in Mojave Desert, National Wildlife 2003. 
• When a Native Predator Becomes a Pest, by William I. Boarman, a case study of the Bureau of Land Management's evolving program to control raven predation on the desert tortoise.