San Diego Zoo Global, the international conservation organization that operates the famous animal park, along with their partner Cadiz Inc. have recently kicked off a program providing a safe environment for tortoise hatchlings before releasing them into their natural habitat.

Courtney Degener, Vice President in charge of external affairs at Cadiz Inc. came on the program to explain how they are helping the endangered desert tortoise survive through the “headstarting Program.”

The “headstarting” program provides an environment for the small tortoises to mature out of the hatchling phase, during which they are the most threatened by predators.