Lecture- The Sonoran Desert Tortoise: understanding and preserving the hidden gem of the desert

Vital to the ecosystem, but seldom seen, the Sonoran desert tortoise is a hidden gem of the desert. Desert tortoises are masterfully adapted to a hot and dry environment and are important to many other species’ survival. However, tortoises are a long-lived species, and are therefore susceptible to rapid environmental change. As urbanization continues to expand, it is critical to understand how increasing development, and other human factors, impact tortoise populations over time. The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy has conducted a movement study in the Preserve to better understand Sonoran desert tortoises and how to protect them as the environment continues to change. What have we learned, so far? How does this impact our interactions with tortoises? How can we best protect this hidden gem?

Presented by Jessie Dwyer, Biodiversity Manager at the Conservancy

Location: Mustang Library, 10101 N 90th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Capacity limit of 75