HEMET – The Western Science Center collaborated with the education branch at Joshua Tree National Park by 3D printing desert tortoise models.Sixteen model tortoises will be used by Joshua Tree National Park to teach young schoolchildren scientific research and methods and to give them a lifelong appreciation for California’s state reptile. According to the National Park Service, the desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii, is one of the most studied animals at Joshua Tree National Park and is currently listed as “threatened” on both the California and Federal Endangered Species List.The 3D printed models have been customized to resemble real desert tortoises as closely as possible. WSC used a technique called photogrammetry to make a computer model from a taxidermy tortoise, w
