Desert Tortoise Council

06/01/2026

05/31/2026

Road Warriors Volunteers Needed! 🐢🦺🌵

Are you a biologist?

Our upcoming Road Warriors volunteer opportunity we will be conducting road mortality surveys along select portions of roadways in the Las Vegas area. Exact details regarding date and time will be shared soon.

If you are a biologist, have fieldwork experience, or are looking to gain experience for your authorization form then we would love to have you join us as a volunteer!

Register at tortoisegroup.org/volunteer-get-involved and make sure to indicate in the text box that you are interested in participating in Road Warriors.

Come join us on the road! 🐢🦺🌵

05/23/2026

It’s World Turtle Day! and we ask that you celebrate and close out with a gift to the Desert Tortoise Council. Work like this isn’t possible without the support of people like you!
https://deserttortoise.org/donate/

Tiburón Island, Final Post:
Mercy Vaughn-

“On the island we completed two coverages of a one square kilometer study plot walking at 10 meter intervals. The data is currently being analyzed. On the mainland we conducted a single pass on a one square kilometer study plot, excluding unsafe terrain. We used standardized data sheets currently used in the Mojave for data collection. Data were collected in both English and Spanish.

Each 4 to 6 person field team consisted of experienced tortoise biologists, at least one of whom had completed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service desert tortoise health class, one who was bilingual and one or two members of the Comcaac field team.

The Comcaac field team consisted of 10 young paraecologists, 9 of whom had worked with sea turtles. One was knowledgeable about the botany of the region. This team was assembled by Aaron Barnett, the Conservation Coordinator for the Indigenous Community Partnership with the Prescott College Kino Bay Center.

The team of volunteer desert tortoise biologists who participated on this expedition had a combined experience of over 400 years working with tortoises in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts! Without their dedication and passion for the tortoise, for the desert, for hard work, and for conservation this project would not have been possible. They have been and continue to be the heartbeat of all of the Gopherus morafkai and Gopherus evgoodei research in Mexico. Future generations will build on this remarkable foundation!"

05/22/2026

05/21/2026

When It's and you’re just looking for that puddle. Is it Puddle:30 yet?

Photo: Brian Sandstrom

05/20/2026

Have you ever stared at one of those optical illusion pictures, waiting for the hidden image to appear, only to feel frustrated when nothing happens? You’re not alone. Many people struggle to see them at first, but the good news is that anyone can learn with the right techniques. One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is trying too hard. If you strain your eyes, the image will never appear.

How to Relax Your Eyes:
Sit in a comfortable position with good lighting.
Hold the image at a relaxed reading distance.
Let your eyes soft-focus as if staring beyond the image.
Take deep breaths and avoid blinking too much.

Tip 1: If your eyes feel tired, take a short break and try again later.
Tip 2: This picture actually is NOT an optical illusion, and the above advice might not do you any good, but you still may see something cool…..

Photo: Nicole Hernandez

05/19/2026

05/19/2026

05/18/2026

Hitting the Road? Plan to lend your support to the Desert Tortoise Council this Saturday!

is almost over and World Turtle Day is the 23rd of May! The kids are almost out of school and it’s time for vacation. Wherever you may roam, wherever you may wander, keep an eye out for tortoises and turtles as you drive! If you’re visiting beaches in the Eastern U.S. watch out for nesting Diamondback Terrapins along causeway roads. Lakes and forests are home to freshwater turtles and box turtles that are also on the move scoping out nest sites or shortcuts to mushrooms. Here in the desert, keep an eye out for this desert icon. Crossing roads is a dangerous business and you can help- by slowing down just a bit, and by not being a distracted driver. If you are stopping to hike or sight-see some beautiful desert landscapes, check UNDER your car before you leave, you can save a life. Tortoises love that shade.

Enjoy your adventures and keep on helping tortoises and turtles! Save the Date for Saturday to Send your Support to the Desert Tortoise Council!

Photo: Cameron Rognan, 1st Place Winner, Tortoise Conservation category, 51st Symposium Photo Contest

05/16/2026

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration!!!
Hear me out!

I have a design proposal for your next generation of NASA Mars Rovers…

We have grown up on the images from Sojourner and Spirit, and 14 years were great runs for Opportunity and *NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover, *still active, and NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover may outlast them all, but… Biomimicry is all the rage these days, I mean, there were even some folks that made robot sidewinders a few years ago, but let me introduce you to nature’s perfect all-purpose planetary rover design, the Desert Tortoise.

There is no doubt this body plan has the capability to survive the harshest of conditions. It utilizes light and heat to help carry out its operational processes. It can dig extensive exploratory burrows for sampling multiple layers of strata at a single site, and also use these digs to shelter from the worst planetary weather events. It has excellent mobility, even being able to climb surprisingly rugged terrain.

Just saying, think about it…

Photo: Maribel Lopez