Burrow In and Become a Desert Tortoise Custodian

By Kari Hackney

Sonoran Desert Tortoise, Lynn Jacobs

Hiking along the rocky slopes around Tucson after seasonal rains will provide you with the best chance to encounter the Sonoran desert tortoise (Gopherus morafki) in its native habitat. This tortoise is easy to identify with its domed shell and scaly legs, as it is the only terrestrial tortoise native to the region. Like other reptiles, tortoises are ectothermic, relying on burrows to help regulate their body temperature. Numerous threats to their habitat, including invasion of non-native species, wildfire, drought, and habitat destruction have led to a steady population decline that is expected to continue due to climate change and urban expansion. The tortoise has been protected in Arizona since 1988, but does not qualify for listing under the Endangered Species Act at this time.

Homeowners have a unique opportunity to provide a forever home for desert tortoises that have been surrendered to Arizona Game and Fish (AZGFD). Illegal breeding and people being unable to keep their tortoise due to various reasons have contributed to 72 tortoises currently being up for adoption. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, in partnership with AZGFD, operates a local Tortoise Adoption Program. To become a desert tortoise custodian (the tortoise remains property of the state), an enclosure, burrow, and access to food and occasional water are required. Comprehensive adoption guidelines are available on the AZGFD website.

Creating tortoise habitat in your own yard not only provides critical care to these animals in need, but also brings the joy of wildlife viewing to your own backyard. Tucson Audubon’s Habitat at Home program has been helping Southeast Arizona residents create wildlife- and bird-friendly spaces for over eight years. Habitat at Home members routinely become participants in the Tortoise Adoption Program as they already have the habitat in place to support a tortoise’s dietary needs. If your yard contains native plants, especially native grasses, your yard may be close to qualifying. If not, monsoon season is a great time to start planting. Grasses, leafy shrubs, and flowers are all important components of the tortoise’s diet. The Arizona Native Plant Society has curated Native Plants for Desert Tortoises on their website for potential tortoise custodians.

Constructing a burrow is relatively straightforward, but can be labor intensive. A shovel, cinder blocks, cement backer boards, and some extra dirt is all that is required to build a burrow. Burrow orientation is important to help keep the burrow warm in the winters and cool in the summers, sometimes warranting the construction of two burrows. Temperature regulation is also achieved through at least 8” of soil on top of the burrow, with nearby shade trees or shrubs also contributing to a more favorable climate. The burrow must remain dry—creating a small berm at the entrance may be necessary to keep rainwater out. Tucson Audubon recommends reinforcing the burrow with rock, leading to a structurally sound, yet highly aesthetic yard feature.

Tortoise enclosure and burrow, AZGFD

Sharing your yard with a desert tortoise is a rewarding experience for homeowners. Rick Applegate, a Habitat at Home member since 2018, adopted his desert tortoise in the spring of 2023. His fondness of the critter grew to the point of joining the Board of Directors for the Desert Tortoise Council, an international organization working hard to secure legal protections and better conditions for the Sonoran and Mojave desert tortoises. When asked what attracted him to the species, he responded, “Since they are seen by folks infrequently in the wild, it is wonderful to be able to observe him in our own yard, gaining water and pruning the grasses and shrubs, reminding us and our enthralled visitors that desert tortoises in the Southwest and Northern Mexico continue a precarious, declining existence. They are deserving of our best efforts to protect them and their habitat, including by participating in state and Desert Museum rescue programs. Seems to me, their iconic status and the threats they face are among the best reasons to join the fight—living reminders that tortoises, Southwest birds, and other desert animals are as good as it gets, anywhere.”

Learn more about Habitat at Home or hire Tucson Audubon to create a tortoise burrow of your own at tucsonaudubon.org/habitat.

Kari Hackney is Tucson Audubon Urban Habitat Restoration Manager.