Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee

Free summer programming at the DTRNA - unlocked!
Follow link for details and tickets:
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/desert-tortoise-preserve-committee-108284102681

Summer Solstice at the DTRNA.
Rose and White Buckwheat, Mojave Cottontorn, Wooly Blue Star, and Paperbag Bush are still blooming. There is so much life to see; you just have to slow down and look a bit closer.

Last Day Gold! On this final day of the Naturalist season - Thank you, Madison and Nadia, for another successful season as naturalists and for maintaining a safe space for these pups to grow up, within the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area! Nadia - thank you for the tip on these foxes, Gary and I both enjoyed seeing them!

Watching a Desert Tortoise navigate its natural habitat is a thing of wonder. If you have a chance to observe one, you will see they have personality. Those eyes - you wish you could have a conversation. Oh, and they aren’t as slow as you think.

If you want to help with the recovery and conservation of the Desert Tortoise, you can:
❤Volunteer
https://tortoise-tracks.org/news-events/volunteer-work-parties/
❤Donate
https://tortoise-tracks.org/support/
❤Educate
https://tortoise-tracks.org/tortoise-habitat/

The tortoises are still active, there are still some blooms, and there are always lizards! Come on out for a walk! Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/naturalist-led-walk-in-tortoise-preserve-tickets-1985488666048?aff=oddtdtcreator

In 2025 the Desert Tortoise was uplisted to endangered.
Within the Mojave Desert’s fragile ecosystem, tortoise populations are rapidly diminishing; in some places they have disappeared. Losses are due to vandalism, to raven predation, disease, collections for pets (now illegal), and habitat degradation. Habitat has been lost or damaged from mining, livestock grazing, development of desert lands for agriculture, sub-divisions, high-ways, industrial uses and off-road vehicle use.
The DTPC is dedicated to the recovery and conservation of the Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) and other rare and endangered species inhabiting the Mojave. To learn more about our work and the DTRNA visit: tortoise-tracks.org

Happy 100th birthday Sir Attenborough! Thank you for taking us into the deepest corners of our planet, for the education, the wisdom.
Photo credit: Jason Folt

Flowers, shy Desert Tortoise (This one was so tiny!), not so shy Whiptail lizard, and more flowers at the . Come explore with a naturalist for Mother’s Day! The nature walk starts at 9am and wraps up before it gets hot. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/naturalist-led-walk-in-tortoise-preserve-tickets-1985488588817?aff=oddtdtcreator

Our mothing event last Saturday seemed to start slowly but picked up and revealed some beauties and surprises. Here are a few that crawled, fluttered, and walked the “runway."

1. Mexican Tiger Moth (Apantesis proxima)
2. a Bee Fly - Genus Neacreotrichus?
3. Creosote Moth (Digrammia colorata)
4. Thread-waisted Wasp - family Ammophila?
5. Arizona Bird-dropping Moth (Ponometia elegantula)
6. Ovate Shieldback (Aglaothorax ovatus) - a type of katydid

For more events visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/naturalist-led-walk-in-tortoise-preserve-tickets-1985487851612?aff=oddtdtcreator -card