Mojave Desert Tortoise
CR

Mojave Desert Tortoise

Gopherus agassizii

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_tortoise

Overview

The desert tortoise is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species is native to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, and to the Sinaloan thornscrub of northwestern Mexico. G.

agassizii is distributed in western Arizona, southeastern California, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah. The specific name agassizii is in honor of Swiss-American zoologist Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz. The desert tortoise is the official state reptile in California and Nevada.

The desert tortoise faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat destruction from urban development, renewable energy projects, and off-road vehicle use across the Mojave Desert. Disease outbreaks, particularly upper respiratory tract disease, have devastated populations, while livestock grazing degrades native vegetation that tortoises depend on for food and shelter. Climate change intensifies drought conditions and alters plant communities, further reducing available forage and increasing mortality rates.

Threat summary

Habitat

Desert tortoises inhabit creosote bush scrub, Joshua tree woodlands, and desert grasslands of the Mojave Desert, typically at elevations between 400-2,300 meters. They require well-drained soils for burrowing and areas with sufficient native vegetation including grasses, forbs, and cacti for foraging.

Shrubland· majorWetlands (inland) - Permanent rivers/streams· majorDesert· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSite/area managementSpecies managementSpecies recoverySpecies reintroductionAwareness & communicationsLegislation

Other threatened species in TESTUDINIDAE

Indian Star TortoiseVU

Indian Star Tortoise

Geochelone elegans

Declining
VU

Chelonoidis vandenburghi

Increasing
Eastern Santa Cruz Giant TortoiseCR

Eastern Santa Cruz Giant Tortoise

Chelonoidis donfaustoi

Increasing
VU

Sonoran Desert Tortoise

Gopherus morafkai

Declining

Threatened in Mexico

EN

Turbinicarpus horripilus

Declining
CR

Turbinicarpus mandragora

Declining
EN

Opuntia pachyrrhiza

Declining
EN

Arachnothryx tacanensis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Mojave Desert Tortoise classified as Critically Endangered?
Mojave Desert Tortoise is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The desert tortoise faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat destruction from urban development, renewable energy projects, and off-road vehicle use across the Mojave Desert. Disease outbreaks, particularly upper respiratory tract disease, have devastated populations, while livestock grazing degrades native vegetation that tortoises depend on for food and shelter. Climate change intensifies drought conditions and alters plant communities, further reducing available forage and increasing mortality rates.
Where does Mojave Desert Tortoise live?
Mojave Desert Tortoise occurs in Mexico, and United States. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Mojave Desert Tortoise?
The main threats to Mojave Desert Tortoise are 1.1, 1.3, 11.1, and 11.2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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