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A Desert Tortoise wandering through its sandy habitat. It has a wide, rounded brown shell that matches its head and legs that are sticking out from it. There are several long, pointed leaves showing in the foreground.

Desert Tortoise

Common Name:
Desert Tortoise
Scientific Name:
Gopherus agassizii
Habitats:
  • Desert
  • Grassland
  • Rocky Areas
Height:
5 in
Length:
12 in
Life Span:
80 yrs
Number of Young:
6 eggs
Weight:
12 lb
About:

Did you know tough scales on desert tortoise's legs protect them from the spines of many desert plants? Learn more about desert tortoises.

Care & Wellness:

Their wild counterparts use tunnels and burrows to escape temperature extremes and danger, our desert tortoises have access to a built-in den off of their large habitat to encourage this natural behavior. 


They can eat the desert plants in their habitat in between the “salads” that are fed 3 times per week.

Behavior:
  • Their solitary lifestyle often leads to confrontation between males.
  • Their burrows can be deep, up to 30 ft long, and serve as protection from extreme temperatures and predators.
  • To escape harsher winter conditions, they hibernate from about November - March.
Endangered Status
  • Extinct in Wild (EW)
  • Critically Endangered (CR)
  • Endangered (EN)
  • Vulnerable (VU)
  • Near Threatened (NT)
  • Least Concern (LC)
  • Not Evaluated (NE)
Fun Facts:
  • Tough scales on the legs protect them from spines on many desert plants.
  • Although they do drink when water is present, most of their moisture comes from plants they eat.
  • Desert tortoises play an important role in dispersing seeds in their feces throughout their habitat.
  • All types of animals rely on their burrows for shelter in the desert.
A tortoise with a patterned, earthy-toned shell is positioned in the foreground, facing the left. Its head and front legs are visible, its skin appears rough and textured. Two monitor lizards lie flat on the sandy ground, one in the background is facing away from the camera with its tail extending towards the left. The other is in the foreground facing the camera and only its head and torso are visible.