One of the most recognizable animals of the Southwest, the desert
tortoise ("Gopherus agassizii") makes its home in both the Sonoran
and Mohave Deserts, as well as in tropical areas to the south in
Mexico. Called by Tohono O'odham people "komik'c-ed," or "shell
with living thing inside," it is one of the few desert creatures
kept as a domestic pet--as well as one of the most studied reptiles
in the world. Most of our knowledge of desert tortoises comes from
studies of Mohave Desert populations in California and Nevada.
However, the ecology, physiology, and behavior of these northern
populations are quite different from those of their southern,
Sonoran Desert, and tropical cousins, which have been studied much
less. Differences in climate and habitat have shaped the evolution
of three races of desert tortoises as they have adapted to changes
in heat, rainfall, and sources of food and shelter as the deserts
developed in the last ten million years. This book presents the
first comprehensive summary of the natural history, biology, and
conservation of the Sonoran and Sinaloan desert tortoises,
reviewing the current state of knowledge of these creatures with
appropriate comparisons to Mohave tortoises. It condenses a vast
amount of information on population ecology, activity, and behavior
based on decades of studying tortoise populations in Arizona and
Sonora, Mexico, and also includes important material on the care
and protection of tortoises. Thirty-two contributors address such
topics as tortoise fossil records, DNA analysis, and the mystery of
secretive hatchlings and juveniles. Tortoise health is discussed in
chapters on the care of captives, and original data are presented
on the dietsof wild and captive tortoises, the nutrient content of
plant foods, and blood parameters of healthy tortoises. Coverage of
conservation issues includes husbandry methods for captive
tortoises, an overview of protective measures, and an evaluation of
threats to tortoises from introduced grass and wildfires. A final
chapter on cultural knowledge presents stories and songs from
indigenous peoples and explores their understanding of tortoises.
As the only comprehensive book on the desert tortoise, this volume
gathers a vast amount of information for scientists, veterinarians,
and resource managers while also remaining useful to general
readers who keep desert tortoises as backyard pets. It will stand
as an enduring reference on this endearing creature for years to
come.
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