Desert Tortoise -Noah Simpson

The Local Legend of the Southwest Desert Scene

The slow and steady desert tortoise way won't suffice for their conservationist friends.

Noah Simpson

1 December, 2016

Contained mostly to the Mojave and Sonoran deserts in the southwest corner of the United States and into northern Mexico, the desert tortoise or scientifically known as the gopherus agassizii, is a large, herbivorous reptile. The species can grow to be anywhere from 8 to 15 inches in length and 4 to 6 inches in height, as well as weigh 8 to 15 pounds. The unique species sets itself apart from many desert animals with its domed outer shell on top and flat bottom shell that encases the tortoise.

(http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/species_images/doc3729.jpg

Its stumpy hind legs and tail have a dry skin while heavy, scaly skin covers its front legs for digging. The simplicity of the desert tortoise is offset with unexpected abilities like burrowing underground or swimming in shallow ponds.

Much of the health of desert tortoises is at the mercy of the harsh  environments in which they live. The health, reproductive patterns, and behavior of these animals are very much dependent on their surroundings; variables such as temperatures, plant life, and water availability are huge in deciding the prosperity of the species. The desert tortoise’s incredible ability to conserve water and energy allow the animal to survive the extreme desert conditions.

While the desert tortoise has populations throughout southwestern United States and into the northern part of Mexico, certain critical habitats are the focal points of the recovery process.

(http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/RRP%20for%20the%20Mojave%20Desert%20Tortoise%20-%20May%202011_1.pdf)

As shown in the image above, federal lands in southwestern Utah, northwestern Arizona, southern Nevada, and southern California have been designated are the main areas for improving desert tortoise populations. Nearly 2 million of the total 2.6 million hectares of critical land is located in California.

Population and density estimates for desert tortoises are difficult to accurately conduct due to the species unique development and behaviors. The slow moving, low-ground species that can look like a rock and burrows itself underground for months on end is rather elusive. Monitoring the effectiveness of recovery projects is also made difficult by the 13 to 20 year maturity time that a desert tortoise must live before able to yield offspring. 

Over a six year monitoring span (2001-2005, 2007), desert tortoises were least abundant in the Northwest Mojave Recovery Unit with an estimate of 2-10 individuals per square mile; the species was found most abundantly in the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit with a range of 38-69 tortoises per square mile.

A population of desert tortoises on the Beaver Dam Slope in Utah was the first to be identified as Threatened by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. In the following years greater populations were added to the protections list and eventually the species’ first recovery plan was published in 1994. Human interference and loss of habitat are the main causes for the species’ struggles. As man-made structures and transportation ways expand into the desert environment, the availability of safe burrowing and breeding grounds decrease. Other threats to the desert tortoise include: the killing and collecting of tortoises by humans, diseases created by toxic environmental contaminants, predation of hatchlings and juveniles by the common raven, lack of funding for enforcing habitat regulations, as well as global climate change and drought.

Over the last twenty years, researchers and conservation groups have been working to pinpoint the reasons for the loss of populations and the most effective ways to combat these problems. A broad six step recovery strategy outlines the basics for improving desert tortoise populations:

1. Develop, support, and build partnerships to facilitate recovery.
2. Protect existing populations and habitat, instituting habitat restoration where necessary.
3. Augment depleted populations in a strategic manner.
4. Monitor progress toward recovery.
5. Conduct applied research and modeling in support of recovery efforts within a strategic framework.
6. Implement a formal adaptive management program.
   
   

The professional rhetoric of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can be confusing at times, so they have also included real life examples for understanding their conservation efforts. Acquiring critical habitat land by conservation groups, installing protective fencing, improving grazing management, and limiting off-road vehicle access are some applied projects to the recovery movement. The continued practice and development of these recovery methods look to achieve the goal of the recovering and delisting of the desert tortoise, a goal that is expected to be met by 2025.

Getting involved can be as easy as becoming informed and aware of the current issue. Watching a quick YouTube video on the magnificent species and sharing it with your Facebook friends can effectively get the message across to many people that may not know of the desert tortoises’ decline. Being vocal with your social media is a good start, but sharing your passion for the species with your government leaders can improve the discussion within the political sphere. Adopting a tortoise is another way to help out; through the Defenders of the Wildlife program, a small donation can assist in the great work that conservationists do everyday. Plus, this option comes with a cute plush desert tortoise!

(https://secure.defenders.org/ac/img/adoptions/plushes/large/desert-tortoise-wild584-IMG_4437.jpg)

For additional information on way to get involved, check out the Defenders of the Wildlife’s website.

For more general information on the desert tortoise, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Defenders of Wildlife both have websites providing a more in depth look into the species.

Works Cited:

"Adopt a Desert Tortoise." Adopt a Desert Tortoise - Wildlife Adoption and Gift Center. Defenders of Wildlife, n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2016.

"Basic Facts About Desert Tortoises." Defenders of Wildlife. Defenders of Wildlife, 10 Apr. 2014.                          Web. 01 Dec. 2016.

Revised Recovery Plan for the Mojave Population of the Desert Tortoise (Gopherus Agassizii).        Sacramento, CA: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Southwest Region, Division of Listing, Recovery and Environmental Contaminants, 2011. Department of the Interior. Web. 01 Dec. 2016.

Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife. "Species Profile for Desert Tortoise (Gopherus Agassizii)." Species Profile for Desert Tortoise (Gopherus Agassizii). Department of the Interior, n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2016.

"What You Can Do to Help Desert Tortoises." Defenders of Wildlife. Defenders of Wildlife, 19 Oct. 2016. Web. 01 Dec. 2016.