SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 16, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Mojave desert tortoises get to be about six inches tall, or squat as the case may be, but grow to a foot and a half long and can weigh 15 pounds or more.
They’ve been known to live to the ripe old age of 80 and in the U.S. are found, officials say, only where the southern tips of California, Nevada and Utah join with the northwest corner of Arizona, which includes the Mojave Desert.
And they make great pets.
“They have their own unique personality,” said state Division of Wildlife Resources Wildlife Biologist Ann McLuckie, announcing Friday the DWR has 20 of them available for adoption.
“They will gladly eat the weeds in your backyard and they are fairly independent as long as they have shade and food. They also hibernate for roughly five months out of the year, making them a fairly low-maintenance pet.”
The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service notes they can be quite vocal, chatty even, their vocabulary including “hisses, grunts, pops, whoops, huhs, echs, bips, etc.” And feature smaller legs in the front, good for digging, and “elephant-like” legs at the back.
The Utah Desert Tortoise Adoption Program began in the 1990s, after tortoises were placed on the Endangered Species list, according to the DWR press release Friday announcing their availability. This year, the DWR has received roughly 20 desert tortoises that are now available for adoption.
To apply to adopt a tortoise, do the following:
- Submit an application to [email protected] and pay the $10 handling fee.
- Design a safe outdoor and indoor environment for a tortoise, following DWR guidelines.
- Once approved for adoption, pay the $75 Certification of Registration fee.
- Be aware that tortoises can live 60 to 70 years and adopters are responsible for all veterinarian costs.
