High-tech drones are flying to the defence of tortoises in California's Mojave Desert. The desert tortoises in the western Mojave are under threat of being wiped out by ravens. The raven is a larger version of the crow. Its population in the Mojave has increased by more than 700 per cent in the past 25 years and this is having a catastrophic impact on the desert tortoises. Allison Fedrick, a local conservationist, observed that in some places, "where there used to be 10 ravens, there are now 15,000". Ms Fedrick noted that if nothing was done to help the tortoises, they would be completely wiped out. Their numbers have plummeted by more than 90 per cent since 1990.

高科技无人机正飞往加利福尼亚州莫哈韦沙漠保护乌龟。莫哈韦西部的沙漠龟正面临着被乌鸦灭绝的威胁。这种乌鸦是加大版的乌鸦。在过去25年里，它在莫哈韦的数量增长了700%以上，这对沙漠龟类造成了灾难性的影响。当地环保人士Allison Fedrick观察到，在一些地方，“过去有10只乌鸦的地方，现在有15000只”。Fedrick女士指出，如果不采取任何措施来帮助这些乌龟，它们将被彻底消灭。自1990年以来，他们的数量下降了90%以上。

Technology is coming to the rescue of the tortoises. A team of biologists and drone operators has come up with a strategy to reduce the raven population. They are using drones and the use of the method of "egg oiling". This involves flying drones up to the ravens' nests, removing fertilized eggs, coating them with a film of corn oil, and then replacing them. The oil blocks oxygen from entering the egg, effectively ending the life of the embryo inside. Biologist Mercy Vaughn said: "If ravens figure out that their eggs are rotten, they are likely to eat them and nest someplace else." Conservationist John Griffin said oiling was justified as "part of a comprehensive approach that...addresses all other factors".

科技正在拯救这些乌龟。一个由生物学家和无人机操作员组成的团队提出了减少乌鸦数量的策略。他们使用无人机和“鸟蛋加油”的方法。这包括无人机飞到乌鸦的巢穴，取出受精卵，给它们涂上一层玉米油，再放回去。这种油阻止氧气进入卵子，有效地终止了卵子内胚胎的生命。生物学家默茜·沃恩说:“如果乌鸦发现它们的蛋腐烂了，它们很可能会把蛋吃掉，然后到别的地方筑巢。”自然资源保护主义者约翰·格里芬(John Griffin)表示，涂油是“解决所有其他因素的综合方法的一部分”。