Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), Joshua Tree National Park / NPS - Robb Hannawacker

Easily one of the most identifiable desert icons, the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) is celebrated October 3-7, 2022 at Joshua Tree National Park and other desert conservation organizations, as well as in schools across the desert southwest. The desert tortoise has been on the earth an estimated 15-20 million years, yet today, populations are on the decline. Mortality can be attributed to multiple factors including habitat loss, climate change, and unnatural raven predation. Extensive work with research, field work, outreach and education at is giving hope for a brighter future.   

Next year, Joshua Tree National Park will be working with the United States Geological Survey to analyze data collected over the past fifteen years to identify movement patterns near roads. Vehicle collisions on roads are particularly dangerous to desert tortoise. Outreach and education have lessened mortality rates but there is still work to be done and the park benefits from an active volunteer program that tirelessly works to help collect tortoise telemetry data.  

During this week of celebration, visitors can learn more about tortoises on Joshua Tree National Park’s social media, as well as in person by attending a ranger led activity:   

Tortoise Table at Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center, located in downtown Twentynine Palms 

Tuesday, October 4, 2022 - 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. 

Join a park ranger at the Tortoise Table for fun, games, and tortoise fun facts!   

Tortoise Evening Program & Ranger Talk, located at the Indian Cove Campground Amphitheater 

Thursday, October 6, 2022 - 7:30 pm. 

Join a park ranger for a 45-minute presentation. Discover tortoise fun facts, learn about threats and conservation efforts, and what can be done to save this iconic species from extinction.   

Please check updated program schedules on our website by following this link:  www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/