Show notes
Wendy sits down with long-time keeper and founding member of the Kleinmanni Assurance Project (KAP), Ralph Till, for a deep dive into breeding the critically endangered Egyptian tortoise. Ralph shares decades of hands-on experience, including ideal female size and age, seasonal breeding behaviors, how to set up reliable nest boxes, incubation best practices, and what to expect from hatchlings during their first fragile month of life.They also explore the origins and goals of KAP - an initiative built to establish genetically diverse assurance colonies across the United States following the ESA regulation changes. Ralph explains how KAP places animals, why meticulous record-keeping matters, and what it really takes for new keepers to responsibly join the effort.If you’re interested in working with Egyptian tortoises, or just want a rare behind-the-scenes look at conservation-minded captive breeding, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.Chapters0:04 - Breeding Egyptian Tortoises1:08 - Maturity and Egg Laying2:46 - Breeding Season in Captivity4:13 - Egg Incubation Techniques8:11 - Hatchling Care10:29 - Transitioning to Adult Care11:52 - Getting Started with Breeding16:16 - The Kleinmanni Assurance Project20:35 - Advice for New Keepers23:05 - Importance of Genetic Diversity27:35 - Building a Supportive CommunityFor more info:TTPG Group Discussion on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/TTPGGroup/Kleinmanni Assurance Project (KAP)https://www.kleinmanniassuranceproject.com/Turtle & Tortoise Preservation Group (TTPG)https://ttpg.org/
