The health and environment of desert tortoises will be the focus of the 26th Annual Meeting and Symposium of the Desert Tortoise Council, in Tucson, Ariz., March 16 through 19.

An estimated 200 scientists, land managers and concerned citizens are expected to attend the four-day meeting that will be held at The Inn Suites, 475 North Granada, in Tucson.

Dr. Kristin Berry, a U.S. Geological researcher in Riverside, Calif., and chairman of this year's meeting, said the yearly meetings of the council offer an excellent opportunity for scientists in many fields, from range management to veterinary medicine to come together and discuss the status of the tortoises of the Sonoran and Mohave deserts.

Reporters and photographers are welcome to attend the individual presentations and panel discussions, and to accompany the scientists on five different field trips into the desert near Tucson. The complete schedule of events and presentations may be found at www.deserttortoiose.org.