The desert tortoise has blunt nails ,which they use to dig a large den. The desert tortoise lives in the desert. Also, the deset tortoise is the offical state reptile of both California and Nevada. In 1974, a law was passed making the practice of collecting wild tortoises illegal. However, many are still taken from their habitat for zoos and for their large shell.
Humans play a major role in destroying desert tortoise populations.
Desert tortoises are killed by vehicles, shot for target practice or deliberately tipped on their backs and left to die. Cattle and sheep also trample tortoises, collapse their burrows, eat up and compete for limited food supplies. To preserve the desert tortoise, the Bureau of Land Management has established a 38 square mile sanctuary in California as the Desert Tortoise Natural Area. Audabon Wildlife Report. Academic Press, San Diego.