Scientific name : Gopherus agassizii
Family : Testudinidae
Native to : Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of California, Nevada, Utah and portions of Arizona
Interesting fact : Adults can survive up to a year without water.
Conservation status : Vulnerable
They can burrow up to 6 feet deep to escape the desert heat and the cold winters. The scales and claws on their front limbs are suited for burrowing. These vegetarians emerge from underground only after the rain to eat plants that have germinated. Their burrows are shared with other animals and other tortoises. They live for 50 to 80 years.
