desert tortoise
noun
: a large burrowing land tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) of arid regions of the southwestern U.S. and adjacent Mexico
Examples of desert tortoise in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The desert tortoise just last week was up-listed by the California Department of Fish and Game to be endangered.
—
Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 10 May 2024
Robinson is one of about 75 adoptable Sonoran desert tortoises for Arizonans looking for an unconventional pet.
—Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 12 Apr. 2024
Outside is a large backyard planted with cacti and citrus, apple, plum, cottonwood, and ironwood trees, a swing set, and a special area with rocks and a fountain for desert tortoises; downtown Tucson is a 20-minute drive.
—The Week Staff, theweek, 6 Mar. 2024
Residents say their concerns about construction dust, as well as the destruction of the mostly pristine land that is habitat for endangered desert tortoises, have been ignored by the county and state officials who approved it.
—Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024
For the Yellow Pine solar farm on the Nevada border (to produce electricity for Silicon Valley Clean Energy and Central Coast Community Energy), lots of desert tortoises had to be removed from that site.
—Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 10 May 2024
She’s watched in real time as the same changes have wreaked havoc on the local wildlife — including an increase in rodent poison that’s killing birds of prey, and an uptick in trash that’s attracted more ravens, which feed on the young of desert tortoises.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024
Climate & Environment California’s Mojave desert tortoises move toward extinction.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Robinson, a Sonoran desert tortoise, has become a favorite among Arizona Game and Fish Department staff.
—Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 12 Apr. 2024
Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 10 May 2024
Robinson is one of about 75 adoptable Sonoran desert tortoises for Arizonans looking for an unconventional pet.
—Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 12 Apr. 2024
Outside is a large backyard planted with cacti and citrus, apple, plum, cottonwood, and ironwood trees, a swing set, and a special area with rocks and a fountain for desert tortoises; downtown Tucson is a 20-minute drive.
—The Week Staff, theweek, 6 Mar. 2024
Residents say their concerns about construction dust, as well as the destruction of the mostly pristine land that is habitat for endangered desert tortoises, have been ignored by the county and state officials who approved it.
—Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024
For the Yellow Pine solar farm on the Nevada border (to produce electricity for Silicon Valley Clean Energy and Central Coast Community Energy), lots of desert tortoises had to be removed from that site.
—Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 10 May 2024
She’s watched in real time as the same changes have wreaked havoc on the local wildlife — including an increase in rodent poison that’s killing birds of prey, and an uptick in trash that’s attracted more ravens, which feed on the young of desert tortoises.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024
Climate & Environment California’s Mojave desert tortoises move toward extinction.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Robinson, a Sonoran desert tortoise, has become a favorite among Arizona Game and Fish Department staff.
—Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 12 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'desert tortoise.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Desert tortoise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desert%20tortoise. Accessed 16 Jun. 2024.
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