Field Notes — Desert Tortoise

Desert Tortoise Encounter

After years of searching the deserts of Southern California, I finally got the chance to meet a desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in Joshua Tree National Park.

We timed our trip for spring to improve our chances of finding one. The first day, we searched through the main part of the national park to no avail. On the second day, however, we found a single tortoise munching on desert wildflowers in the Indian Cove area, near the campground. It was a remarkable encounter.