The Mojave population of desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii, has been listed on the U.S. Endangered Species Act since 1990. Their populations are threatened due to a number of factors, primarily habitat loss and raven predation of hatchlings. As a key species to our local desert environment and surroundings, The Living Desert has been a leader in the conservation efforts and education programming since 2010.

The Living Desert currently manages the Desert Tortoise Information and Youth Education Program in collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and other NGO participants. Through our partnerships, The Living Desert has focused on outreach events, providing educator resources, and working with stakeholder groups.

To date, The Living Desert’s event outreach has reached over 500,000 people, and educator resources have been used by over 50 classrooms around Southern California.

Healthy Desert Education Project
Educator Resources
Mojave Maxine Emergence Contest
Tortoise Adoption Program

The Living Desert implements a number of zoo-wide resource conservation programs and initiatives including:

• Green Team Committee that leads the zoo’s sustainability initiatives and goals
• Utilizing compostable products in food and retail outlets
• Reducing single-use plastics throughout the zoo
• Encouraging native pollinators, such as bees and Monarch butterflies, through the habitat restoration and protection
• Encouraging recycling outlets throughout the grounds for guests