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# Desert Tortoise Recovery Office

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                -  Desert Tortoise Recovery Office
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## What We Do

#### Our Services

The Desert Tortoise Recovery Office (DTRO) focuses on research, monitoring, recovery plan implementation, and associated recovery permitting, and provides a centralized point of contact through which these activities are coordinated. The DTRO strives to facilitate increased scientific understanding and improved recovery progress by increasing research activities outlined in the 2011 Revised Recovery Plan.

The DTRO assists in the coordination between managers and research scientists, and tracking and reporting new information about the efficacy of management actions. The DTRO works with the Desert Tortoise Management Oversight Group in coordinating range-wide issues and works with the California Desert Managers Group and other local, state, or regional working groups.

#### Our Projects and Initiatives

#### Range-wide Monitoring

Range-wide monitoring is important to evaluate progress toward achieving recovery criteria outlined in the recovery plan. Monitoring has been conducted almost every year since 2001 within Tortoise Conservation Areas in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah.

#### Raven Management

Mojave desert tortoises face a growing threat from increased populations of ravens in their habitat. Numerous partners have been experimenting with different strategies to reduce common raven predation on the desert tortoise.

#### Translocation and Population Augmentation

Translocation (the movement of an animal from one location to another) can be used to augment or re-establish locally depleted or extirpated populations in conjunction with elevated threat management, habitat restoration, and/or directed research on the factors affecting success.

More About What We Do

## Latest Stories and Topics

“Desert Tortoise Week” is back with a month full of eventsMultiple government agencies and conservation organizations are partnering to raise awareness and promote recovery of one of the desert’s most iconic species, the Mojave desert tortoise. This year’s “week” has expanded, with events for the whole family kicking off Sept. 30 and continuing until Nov...Sep 27, 2023

Endangered Species ActU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service opens public scoping period for desert tortoise general conservation planThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the opening of a public scoping period on a draft environmental impact statement for a general conservation plan for the federally threatened Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in California.Jul 17, 2023

Endangered Species ActGeneral conservation plan for the desert tortoise in CaliforniaThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) listed the Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (Act) in 1990 due to habitat loss and fragmentation, excessive predation, and disease. Since then, the Service has been working to protect desert...Oct 19, 2022

Endangered Species ActFourth annual “Desert Tortoise Week” kicks off in OctoberMultiple government agencies and conservation organizations throughout the range of the Mojave desert tortoise are partnering to raise awareness and promote recovery of one of the desert’s most iconic species through a series of events starting Oct. 1, 2022.Sep 28, 2022

Mojave Desert Tortoise SurvivalAgencies are working to defend the desert tortoise from invasive grasses.Jul 21, 2022

Dedicated to recovering the desert tortoiseRoy Averill-Murray is our latest FWS Scholar who is the Desert Tortoise Recovery Coordinator for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.Jul 14, 2022

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## Our Library

Browse recovery-related documents, reports, and guidance in our library. Click "View Our Library" to see all documents and collections.

2022 Mojave Desert Tortoise Five-Year Review

PDF

May 20, 2022

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## Our Species

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The Mojave population of desert tortoise includes all tortoises north and west of the Colorado River in southwestern Utah, southern Nevada, southeastern California, and northwestern Arizona. Click "View Our Species" to learn more about the Mojave desert tortoise.

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Working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

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