Mojave Desert Tortoise
Gopherus agassizii
Conservation Status
Critically EndangeredReptilia · Testudinidae
About
The desert tortoise is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species is native to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, and to the Sinaloan thornscrub of northwestern Mexico. G. agassizii is distributed in western Arizona, southeastern California, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah. The specific name agassizii is in honor of Swiss-American zoologist Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz. The desert tortoise is the official state reptile in California and Nevada.
Fun Fact
Desert tortoises can live in areas with ground temperatures exceeding 60 °C (140 °F) because of their ability to dig burrows and escape the heat.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Live in areas with ground temperatures exceeding 60 °C (140 °F) because of their ability to dig burrows and escape the heat.
Diet
Herbivore
Lifespan
80 years
Threats
- Habitat Destruction
- Pollution
- Invasive Species
- Over-Collection
- Climate Change