Did you know that the Desert Tortoise can live to be 100 years old? And the genus, Gopherus, may have appeared as a distinct species about 37 million years ago! This is just one reason we need to protect these magnificent creatures. They have been around a long time and we would hate to lose them in our lifetime! Unfortunately, our Raven population has exploded and Ravens are fierce predators of the Desert Tortoise. A single pair of Ravens can kill dozens of hatchlings in a single year. It is important to keep trash lids closed as Ravens are scavengers. As the Raven population increases, the tortoise population may decrease.

Some interesting facts about our Desert Tortoise:

• The average clutch size is five eggs but a tortoise can lay up to twelve at a time.
• The tortoise can discern images at more than 100 yards - excellent eyesight!
• The tortoise has an excellent sense of smell and uses it to identify food and members of the opposite sex.
• A tortoise's shell does not become hard for at least five years.
• Tortoises can dig burrows up to 32 feet long!
• Tortoises hibernate for at least three months but can remain in their burrows for up to nine months.
• The Desert Tortoise has been on the list of threatened species since 1990 due to population reduction.
• Their population has mainly declined as a result of diseases (respiratory tract disease mostly) and by being collected illegally.
• On August 10, 1972, Governor Ronald Reagan signed the legislation provided by Assembly Bill No. 1089 and the California desert tortoise (Gopherus agasizzi) was designated the "official state reptile" of the State of California.