# Gopherus agassizii (California Desert Tortoise)



## dmmj (Nov 25, 2014)

Scientific name : _Gopherus agassizii_ i
hatchling





Adult




Range: Native to the deserts of California, New mexico, and Arizona.

Diet : The desert tortoise is an herbivore. Grasses form the bulk of its diet, but it also eats herbs, annual wild flowers, and new growth of cacti, as well as their fruit and flowers. 
Shelter : Burrows dug in sufficiently deep soil often under shrubs 
Conservation : I t is listed as endangered.
Disease : Upper respiratory tract disease (URTD), and Cutaneous dyskeratosis (CD)
Impact of disease : URD Overlaying home ranges and the social nature of these animals, suggests that disease-free individuals may be vulnerable to spread of disease, and that transmission can occur rapidly, captive tortoises can be a source of disease to wild Agassiz's desert tortoise.
Official state status : The desert tortoise is the state reptile of California and Nevada.
Lifespan : Desert tortoises can live well over 50 years, with estimates of lifespan varying from 50 to 80 years.
Size : Males reach 12 to 14 inches, females grow faster and can reach 16 inches and up.


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