The official state reptile of Nevada has been classified as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act since 1990, ...

This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today. Spotting a Mojave Desert tortoise is ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. As monsoon rains bring much needed water to Arizona’s deserts, you may notice some of the state’s beloved shell-backed reptiles on ...

The desert tortoise, a once-resilient reptile, is a keystone species in the Mojave Desert, where other animals depend for their survival on the burrows it digs. But it is imperiled in California ...

SCOTTSDALE — Sonoran desert tortoises are built for the desert. With their short legs and tough shell, they slowly but skillfully traverse Arizona’s rocky terrain and, like goats, can get to places ...

SALT LAKE CITY — It's been 18 years since the federal government decided to protect the shy, slow-moving Mojave desert tortoise, and wildlife officials fear little has been accomplished. "We know for ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. FILE: A desert tortoise moves through the Muddy Mountains Wilderness in Nevada. (Scott Smith/Getty Images) Off-roading is now ...

Desert tortoises have lived in the deserts of California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah since the Pleistocene. In the early years of the 20th century, they still thrived within the Southwest's arid ...

As monsoon rains bring much needed water to Arizona’s deserts, you may notice some of the state’s beloved shell-backed reptiles on the move. State wildlife officials have a message for those who may ...

Spotting a Mojave Desert tortoise is increasingly difficult in the American Southwest. The tortoises, with their unmistakable domed patterned shells, live in California, parts of Nevada, Arizona and ...