The Chuckwalla Bench, located in southern California, is the home to a leisurely paced species, the desert tortoise. Native to California, desert tortoises live 20–50 years in the wild but can occasionally survive up to 80 years. These reptiles are considered keystone species, meaning that they play a crucial part in the habitat by increasing the success of other species.
Desert tortoises consume plants like flowers, cacti and weeds. As the species move, their droplets play a role in spreading seeds, increasing the survival of plant offspring. The desert tortoise burrows to avoid extreme heat or warm up during the cold nights. Other species use their abandoned burrows as shelter from the excessive heat or cold, as well as to hide protection from predators. The tortoises also dig basins to collect water when it rains, allowing them to have a reliable source of water in dry conditions. As with the burrows, other species benefit from these water basins.
Desert tortoises are threatened due to habitat destruction and fragmentation and climate change. About 90% of desert tortoises in California have been lost due to development. In the 1970’s, there were an estimated 150-350 tortoises per square mile, but by 2019 this number had decreased to 10 tortoises per square mile.
A partial solution to this issue would be for President Biden to proclaim a Chuckwalla National Monument. Not only will this protect Californian desert tortoises, but it will also protect species who depend on them. We need to act now and preserve this critical reptile.
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Ellen runs campaigns to protect America’s beautiful places, from local beachfronts to remote mountain peaks. She sits on the Steering Committee of the Arctic Defense Campaign and co-coordinates the Climate Forests Campaign. Ellen previously worked as the organizing director for Environment America’s Climate Defenders campaign and managed grassroots campaign offices across the country. Ellen lives in Denver, where she likes to hike in Colorado’s mountains.
