Desert Tortoise

 

Description:

The desert tortoise is a fairly large herbivore. Their upper shell can reach 38 centimeters (15 inches) in length, 15 centimeters (6 inches) in height, and 7 kilograms (15 pounds) in weight. They are flat and pear shaped. They have large legs, with thick claws, aiding in their ability to dig burrows. They differ from turtles because of their cylindrical legs, short feet, flat forelimbs for digging, unwebbed toes, and domed shell. The desert tortoise can live up to 100 years.

 

Behavior:

The desert tortoise is most active during the early morning and evening, in order to avoid the hottest times of the day. During high temperatures, they find shelter in the burrows they construct. These burrows can range between 1-2 meters (3-6 feet) deep. The burrows are also utilized during the tortoise’s winter hibernation. To communicate, the desert tortoise can make popping sounds, and can also hiss and grunt. Their diet consists of flowers, grasses, fruits, and other plants. They gain most of their water from the food they consume. During exceedingly dry times, the tortoise may release a white, pasty waste instead of their typical watery urine. Adults can survive up to a year without water. They are mainly solitary creatures, and can resort to fighting if confronted by other tortoises. fight if they encounter others.

 

Reproduction:

Desert tortoises become sexually mature between 15 and 20 years of age. They mate from August to October, with an incubation period of around 110 days. The nest is often dug near the burrow, but can be dug away from the burrow under a tree or shrub. The female will not stay at the nest; the soil temperatures support the eggs. The number of eggs a female will lay largely depends on its size; however, they typically lay between 4 and 8 eggs. The eggs themselves are hard-shelled and white. A female can produce up to 3 clutches in a season. The gender of the newborns largely depend on the incubation temperatures, cooler temps result in males and warmer temps result in females.

 

Habitat:

The desert tortoise inhabits arid grasslands, desert washes, rocky hillsides, and canyon bottoms, native to the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts. They live in the thornscrub regions of western Arizona, southeastern California, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah. Conservation:The desert tortoise has many natural predators, including ravens, kit foxes, badgers, roadrunners, coyotes, and gila monsters. The tortoise has just recently been placed on the threatened species list. Many organizations have been developed to recover the desert tortoise popuation, particularly throughout the Mojave Desert.