Kalahari
(Desert Tortoise)
Gopherus agassizi
California Desert tortoises are protected by law in
California. The California Turtle and Tortoise Club handles the
permitting of all tortoises in California. Desert tortoises thrive in
warm climates but require shelter from the sun and the cold. Even in
the desert they hibernate for a short period in the winter. They are
susceptible to respiratory illnesses that are extremely contagious, so captive
tortoises must never be returned to the desert. If the bottom of
their shell is concave, the tortoise is a male. The shape allows the
male to mount the female. If the bottom of the shell is flat, the
tortoise is a female. They are on the move constantly which is why they are
often lost by pet owners. Sadly many tortoises have a hole drilled
in their shell allowing the pet owner to tether the tortoise so it cannot
wander away. This often ends in tragic loss of limbs when the chain
or rope wraps around the leg and goes unnoticed until the circulation is cut
off.
Often, we receive calls from a person who found a desert tortoise
wandering around their neighborhood. Desert Tortoises can actually move quite
quickly and can dig or plow through most barriers home owners erect. Once
loose, they can travel a long way from their original home. This makes it difficult to find their
original owner.
Kalahari is a recent addition to our creep (group) of desert
tortoises. Animal Control picked it up
in a neighborhood. Animal Control was
unable to find the owner. Possession of
a desert tortoise does require certain paperwork, so they are not able to adopt
out desert tortoises. We became his
permanent home.