The status of the populations in Arizona is apparently less serious but warrants continued monitoring and research. While remote populations appear to be stable, those near urban or recreational centers have declined significantly. The desert tortoise is fully protected in Arizona and collection from the wild is strictly prohibited without a permit issued by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Many Arizonans are interested in having a desert tortoise for a number of reasons. Modeled after similar programs in California, applicants are carefully screened for intent and responsibility before being assigned a tortoise, which remains the property of the State of Arizona.
All tortoises placed are urban foundlings, unwanted captives, or their progeny.
The purposes of the program, sanctioned by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, are to provide appropriate care and custody for tortoises already in captivity while vigorously discouraging the taking of tortoises from the wild. Thousands of tortoises are held in captivity in Arizona. It is ironic that people's attraction to the tortoise has become a significant threat to its future. Unfortunately, release of captive tortoises is considered a high risk to existing populations because of the potential to introduce disease, disrupt population structure, and mix genetic stock from different regions. Management of the captive population separately from those in the wild may actually aid conservation of wild tortoises.