Desert Tortoise Survival Alliance Threats to Desert Tortoises

Please access each of these links to learn more about issues that will either impact habitat of, or may force translocation of desert tortoises.

Green Path North Also called "Greed Path" by local residents and concerned environmentalists. Green Path Maps Ten Tortoise Reasons to Stop LADWP Power Lines	This project is being developed by LADWP, Imperial Irrigation District, and the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA). They claim the purpose is to facilitate delivery of green energy, such as geothermal and solar from Imperial County to the City of Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California. What they don't want you to know is that much of this will directly impact our still-pristine desert lands, desert tortoises, other sensitive plant and animal species, and archaeological sites that have existed for many thousands of years.
Fort Irwin: Superior Valley Desert Tortoise Translocation Translocation Plan-full text (in PDF Format) Expansion maps	700+ desert tortoises were removed from their native homes at Fort Iwrin Army base and were translocated to far less suitable habitat in March, 2008. Many have died as a direct result. More than 1,200 desert tortoises are slated to be removed from critical tortoise habitat in the Superior Valley-Cronese Desert Wildlife Management Area (DWMA) to further increase the land used by Fort Irwin. Timeline unknown.
Solar Development in the Mojave Desert-Numerous Locations (PDF Format)	The Government is under pressure to "go green," but doing so should not force sensitive ecosystems and their inhabitants into extinction
Desert Tortoise Threats-Interactive Map	Very useful interactive map showing the numerous threats to desert tortoise survival
Threats to Desert Tortoise Populations-A Critical Review of the Literature	Paper: Numerous threats to desert tortoise survival from the Western Ecological Resource Center
Desert Tortoise Recovery Plan	Paper: An Ambitious Effort to Conserve Biodiversity in the Mojave and Colorado Deserts of the United States
Ravens-Juvenile Desert Tortoise Predators USGS Western Ecological Resource Center-Reducing Predation by Common Ravens Threats to Desert Tortoises (from the Nevada DTRO) Final Environmental Assement: Predation of Desert Tortoises by Ravens	Links to web sites outlining threats to desert tortoises by ravens.
Feral Dogs-A Growing Problem for Desert Wildlife (including desert tortoises) Feral Dogs-Notes From TortoiseAid's Director	Shortly after the Fort Irwin Translocation, reports stated coyotes were killing desert tortoises at release sites. While this is possible, coyotes are not the only canid predators in our deserts. Coyotes play a vital role in keeping the desert ecosystem in check, but feral roaming dog packs are a real threat.


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