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Article: A tortoise's tentative future: habitat degradation, vandalism, and predation are contributing to desert tortoises' low numbers in Mojave National Preserve. (Rare & Endangered).
- Article from:
- National Parks
- Article date:
- March 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 National Parks Conservation Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Catching a glimpse of the Mojave desert tortoise is like finding a needle in a haystack. People have always seemed intrigued by the charismatic creatures, collecting and trading them for years. Hundreds of thousands are suspected to be in captivity. Unfortunately for the tortoises, however, their popularity has contributed to waning numbers.
A multitude of activities, including commercial, residential, and agricultural development, livestock grazing, and off-highway vehicle use has reduced the population significantly. The species has all but vanished in western parts of the Mojave Desert, despite their ability to subsist in scorching desert terrain.
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