Sonoran Sunday: Up Close with Sonoran Desert Tortoise at Gateway Trailhead

Location: Gateway Trailhead –  18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy. Scottsdale, AZ 85255

Come learn about one of the Sonoran Desert’s most fascinating denizens, the Sonoran desert tortoise. These little tanks of the desert can withstand scorching summers, cold winters, can go months in between drinking, and can traverse terrain that rivals desert bighorn sheep country. Maybe it’s the fact that we share a similar life cycle; reaching adulthood in their late teens and living up to 100 years, or perhaps it’s their calm nature and slow movement, but Sonoran desert tortoises seem to resonate with so many of us who call Arizona home. Join Chad Rubke, Az Game & Fish Turtles Project Coordinator for for a talk where he describes the natural history, ecology, behaviors, and status of this most fascinating reptile.