help the Desert Tortoise

The desert tortoise is the only tortoise native to Southern California. The wild population is listed as threatened, mainly due to human-related activity, such as development of natural desert areas.

There are many ways to help protect the desert tortoise

1. Do not take tortoises from the wild! Desert tortoises are protected by federal law and should not be removed from the wild unless they are seriously injured. If you do find an injured desert tortoise, contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to report it.
2. The California Turtle and Tortoise Club works with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to re-home captive desert tortoises, and often has tortoises waiting to be placed in caring homes. For information on tortoise adoption, visit California Turtle & Tortoise Club. It is not permitted to breed captive desert tortoises, nor can captive tortoises be released to the wild due to the threat of disease. If you can no longer care for your captive desert tortoise, contact the California Turtle and Tortoise Club to relinquish the tortoise.
3. In high desert areas like Joshua Tree, check beneath your car for tortoises - one may have sought shade there while you were parked. Remember to slow down when driving to avoid hitting tortoises crossing the roadway. If you do find a tortoise in the road, slowly approach the tortoise so it can see you. Pick up the tortoise using both hands (one on each side of the shell), lifting it up no more than a few feet high, and carrying it level to the ground. Slowly walk the tortoise to a shady spot off the road in the same direction it was headed. Always watch your safety near the road.
4. Pick up and properly secure your trash, both at home and while out recreating in the desert. This simple step helps tortoises by reducing attractants to predators of the tortoise, like the Common Raven, into desert areas. The Living Desert participates in a campaign (The Healthy Desert Education Project) regarding ravens and keeping trash covered. Learn more>>

• DESERT TORTOISE ADOPTIONS

  I want to adopt a desert tortoise:

  If you live in the Coachella Valley or want to adopt a tortoise from The Living Desert, please contact us at tortoise@livingdesert.org for more information.  

  If you’re outside of the Coachella Valley, please contact your nearest California Turtle & Tortoise Club chapter – happy adopting! 

  I have a desert tortoise I can no longer care for. What are my options?

  • Give it to a friend or family member.
    • If you can no longer care for your desert tortoise, you can give the animal to a friend or family member. However, be sure they register the tortoise under their name, through their nearest California Turtle & Tortoise Club chapter.
  • Can I donate my tortoise to The Living Desert?
    • The Living Desert can provide emergency, temporary housing for desert tortoises in need. These tortoises are evaluated by veterinary staff to determine their eligibility for adoption out to good homes. They do not become long-term residents of the zoo. For more information please contact tortoise@livingdesert.org. 
  • I need help finding a new home for my tortoise.
    • The California Turtle & Tortoise Club can provide you with help and options for rehoming your desert tortoise.
  • DO NOT RELEASE YOUR DESERT TORTOISE INTO THE WILD
    • It’s illegal - violators can be jailed and fined
    • It spreads disease
    • Captive desert tortoises can carry Upper Respiratory Tract Disease (URTD) and is quickly and easily passed to wild desert tortoises.
    • URTD was one of the main reasons desert tortoises became threatened and it continues to negatively impact wild populations.
• I FOUND A DESERT TORTOISE – WHAT SHOULD I DO?

  The Coachella Valley is home to a wide variety of desert animals, including the desert tortoise. As our valley grows and the number of visitors increase, so do the number interactions between humans and desert tortoises. Knowing what to do when you encounter a tortoise can be difficult, as it will depend on the circumstances surrounding the encounter. Check out the answers and tips below to help you know what to do.

  I found a tortoise in an urban area

  • You have likely found an escaped adopted tortoise
  • Check the tortoise for any markings that would help identify it (stickers or numbers on shell, etc.)
  • Contact your nearest California Turtle & Tortoise Club chapter for help finding the owner
  • While you wait, you can:
    • Gently, but firmly, pick up the tortoise and take it home in a container, if possible
    • Offer the tortoise a shallow dish of water, such as a pie pan or a planter saucer
    • Keep the tortoise away from other pets, especially other tortoises and turtles (the bathroom or tub is a good place to hold a tortoise to keep them safe, separate, and quiet)

  I found a tortoise while out hiking

  You probably found a wild tortoise and you should LEAVE IT ALONE.

  • Wild tortoises don’t need help – our ‘help’ often just makes matters worse for the animal.
  • As long as the tortoise appears relatively healthy and is not trying to cross a road where it will be hit by a car - LEAVE IT ALONE.
  • Do not pick up the tortoise, as you may scare it and cause it to release its bladder in defense. While this may just seem gross - for the tortoise, it can be deadly. Desert tortoises carry water around in their bladders and resorb the water as needed, helping them survive.

  ... But I found a tiny baby!

  Wild desert tortoise hatchlings

  • You may be surprised to learn that tortoise hatchlings don't need any help. In fact, desert tortoises do not parent their young at all! Desert tortoise babies are adapted to survive on their own from the moment they emerge from their eggs.
  • So, even if you find a golf ball sized tortoise hatchling (yup - they can be very tiny!) - LEAVE IT ALONE.
    • What if I see predators in the area?
      • Young desert tortoises have many natural predators, including hawks and common ravens, but you still need to LEAVE THE TORTOISE ALONE.
      You can still help:
      • Be sure that you are not leaving any food or trash behind, as that will attract predators to the area where the tortoises are.
      • Make sure you have iNaturalist on your smart phone and snap a photo of your observation. iNaturalist will save your GPS coordinates with your picture and send that information to a central database. Local biologists use that data to learn where tortoises are being observed, as well as predators of desert tortoises, helping them better protect this vital desert species.
      • If the hatchling is trying to cross the road, you can safely move it across by following these steps:
        • Step 1: Ensure your safety first
        • Step 2: Gently pick up the tortoise slowly and support them with one hand on the top/sides and support them from the bottom with your other hand
        • Step 3: Move the tortoise in the direction it was already going
        • Step 4: Find a shady spot 150-300 feet off the road and put the tortoise down click here to learn how.
        • Watch the experts!

  ... But the tortoise I found is trying to cross the road

  • It is against the law to handle or touch a wild desert tortoise unless they are in imminent danger of being hit by a car while crossing a road.
  • If the tortoise seems rather safe - you can act as a crossing guard.
    • Put your safety first!
    • Do not interfere with the tortoise - just stand guard until it is clear of the road.

  If the tortoise is likely to get hit while crossing the road, following these steps:

  1. Gently pick up the tortoise on either side of the shell, making sure to keep it low and level to the ground.
  2. Slowly move the tortoise across the road in the direction it was already moving.
  3. Place the tortoise in a shady spot 150-300 ft off the road and let it go on its way.

  Watch and learn from the pros at Joshua Tree National Park

  What if the tortoise seems sick or injured?

  Follow these steps if the tortoise you found appears injured or shows signs of illness

  1. Take a close look and see if the tortoise is still alive.
  2. If it is still alive, check for signs of injury - tortoises hit by cars tend to have cracked, broken, or bleeding shells.
  3. Contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to report the tortoise and follow their instructions
     • For Imperial, Inyo, Mono, Riverside, & San Bernardino Counties call 909-484-0167
     • For Kern County call 559-243-4005

  I found a dead tortoise

  If you have found a dead desert tortoise, gather as much information as you can and please follow these steps:

  1. Date and time
  2. Location, GPS coordinates if possible
  3. Take photos of the tortoise
  4. Call California Department of Fish and Wildlife to report the tortoise
     • For Imperial, Inyo, Mono, Riverside, & San Bernardino Counties call 909-484-0167
     • For Kern County call 559-243-4005