Desert Tortoise 101 - Everything You Need To Know

[@TomasRodriguez-yn5xf]

I had the pleasure of seeing two of these in the wild during a backpacking trip a few years ago. Such an awesome experience

[@chriswheeler6092]

I have never seen a tortoise in the wild. I live in Maryland and we only have the box turtle and water turtles. There are some areas where the woods are full of box turtles.Aligator snapping turtles always used to come into my grandparents yard and they are probably the biggest turtles that I have seen.

[@01K02K95K]

Time to plan a RAVEN HUNTING TRIP -trim the raven population!😊

[@ItsMzPhoenix]

My mom's Apple Valley backyard has been a desert tortoise stomping ground since before I was born, after she took in an adult female that had been surrendered to the BLM (she's a former NPS employee and current BLM employee). In addition, my father used to work as a seasonal naturalist at the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area near California City when I was a kid, and I've visited there a few times since then. I've grown up with these hardy reptiles, and I've even used them as the subject of a few college assignments/projects as I work toward a BA in Environmental Studies. Hope we can help them survive current and future challenges like climate change and subsidized predation!

[@matthewdavies2057]

Then you know it's a big no-no to reintroduce a pet desert tortoise back into the wild. They can carry lung infections into the wild and kill lots of stressed wild tortoises. You can't tell just by looking or weighing one to now if they're a carrier. Your parents are very wrong.

[@islandvibez]

I've seen some on the side of the road as roadkill.

[@wilddesertgarden]

During the summer you are more likely to see tortoises near sunrise and sunset because it is too hot during the day and they are not active at night.

[@nonokodog622]

I saw one on my first trip to the Mojave National Preserve and just saw one in my yard in Mohave County AZ. Feeling lucky....

[@derekharmon-wong739]

2:07 the tortoise yawns

[@Laurastars72]

Could we not add watering stations throughout Joshua tree I live in Palm Desert I’ve seen that they do that in the Sahara desert in their national parks for their animals like a watering hole and they fill up the tank when needed. They also put a camera on it so they can see what wildlife uses it.

[@thetortoiseguy6449]

Way cool video! Thanks! 👍🐢❤️

[@Dovietail]

My desert tortoise is drawn to anything orange or red or pink. She will eat plastic trash thinking it is a flower if we aren't super careful.

[@lgstar3363]

It’s a SONORAN DESERT TURTLE

[@heidigib01]

What are the differences between Mohave and Sonoran desert tortoises?

[@robg.204]

So sad. I love those guys.

[@kirkmergeler947]

Hi, we found a tortoise with registration # in anaheim hills CA. Need help finding the owner and any tips are welcome. Thx

[@pennywittenberg4851]

I live in Little Rock Arkansas and recently came across a desert tortoise who became a family member...I'm not sure how he got here...Maybe the tornado we had here on 3/31 brought him here from somewhere else but he is an amazing creature

[@theshageddy9456]

Prolly found a Texas tortoise

[@observewithme]

Awesome

[@alexcoronado599]

We have to stop those Ravens

[@TheGhostGrenader]

Hi, is anything in the works as far as how the recent record California rainfall and snow pack is going to affect the tortoises in Joshua Tree?

[@ItsMzPhoenix]

I would think that more rain = more native plants for them to munch on, but idk beyond that

[@DD-wx3ho]

Your question makes more sense than this wackadoodle climate change/rising heat and drought garbage.

[@chaselee3556]

@@DD-wx3hoyou’re joking, right?

[@DD-wx3ho]

@@chaselee3556 Not at all.

[@danglassett798]

Thank you!

[@codydudik280]

Why is it illegal to breed these in captivity?

[@matthewdavies2057]

With only a few exceptions native animals are illegal to own, breed or sell. Establish a market and soon no wild animal will be safe. That's why.

[@jamesdixon2857]

Good question 🤔. Breeding them gives them the best chance to survive into the fucher.

[@mickellsanchez7781]

i have a tortoise her name is shelly

[@Dovietail]

The ongoing drought is a biggie. Grasses are the vast majority of their diet. 24 straight years of ongoing drought that wipes out the majority of their grazing grasses? Vicious!

[@islandvibez]

.... it's a desert

[@ItsMzPhoenix]

@@islandvibez Desert grasses are a thing

[@Sea1fly]

I found a shell of one in ironwood national forest

[@Yazan845]

I would do Oh that's a tough Desert tortoise I live in what the desert

[@seanhunt138]

I love tortoises, but i have only seen 1 in the wild. I read that 30 years ago eagles started picking up desert tortoises and dropping them from hight to smash them so they can eat them. Is this true?

[@habanacerroarti]

There will be thousands of them if people could breed them .just like sulcata or any other tortoise that we are allowed to breed

[@meep2253]

They can bring disease to wild tortoises that’s the issue with captive breeding. At least that is what I have read.

[@marioorozco4921]

Why not have them breed like crazy in captivity with these officials and release them into the wild? Also Increase the population with certified breeders. Maybe the pet trade might help with increasing their population? Or is there a high risk with the respiratory infection? Sucks wish they were thriving. Just seeing so many sulcatas and other foreign tortoises thriving in captivity makes you wonder about these rules.

[@tamaraescobar7211]

My new landlord brought one home 🏡 to fontana ca. 😢 poor thing ...he needs to go back, too the desert 🏜...He's giant for the tiny front yard....

[@jamesdixon2857]

It sounds like we need to get a mating program to help get their numbers up so they don't go extincted or build a man made haditat , these are just ideas

[@Ivanculina1]

Desert Tortoise is Nice

[@boofeg]

this is a good vid and

[@islandvibez]

lmao why is that lady all nonchalant explaining the tortoise's demise?

[@RONPEE-STINGER]

Cus she's the evil master mind behind all this

[@tonicontreras1342]

Ok

[@R34L_K1W1]

What else lives there? 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤨🤨🤨

[@islandvibez]

El cucuy

[@Entropy106]

Resilience

[@Yazan845]

That's a torture

[@Yazan845]

Desert tortoise live in desert 🏜 any place where you can find

[@reyosegueda6395]

Bull. Temperatures have only risen in desert areas since the 1940s by 1 percent.

[@PatriotMango]

enough with the climate change BS. who's writing your checks?

[@furstenfeldbruck]

If I see a baby I'm taking it

[@matthewdavies2057]

Because your feelings are more important? A fine owner you will make. Not.

[@ItsMzPhoenix]

Please don't

[@Mark-ro3gx]

They live to be 100+... you can have it that long?