Communications Unit 2001). The study of growth performance, bacterial shedding and microbial drug resistance during the first six months of a tortoise’s second year of life, a critical period preceding their release from breeding farms to their natural habitats, is of paramount importance for present and future programmes targeting the conservation of threatened tortoise species. Any deviation from the established baseline could indicate the presence of a disease or mismanagement affecting growth or the enteric system, resulting in a different bacterial shedding pattern, or the introduction of new drug-resistant pathogens to the tor-toises’ environment.The bacterial flora in the enteric system of animals and human beings is needed to protect against potential patho-gens such as