One of the native turtles of Arizona, a Sonoran Mud Turtle we saw cruising around a water hole in Yavapai County. These stinky little guys can live in many waterways below the rim, and can be seen any time of day and year in the right conditions.
A young Sonoran Desert Tortoise making its way down a hillside in the early spring.
About a month later, fire tore through the area. While it can’t be known if this tortoise, or the Gila Monster resting a few meters away, survived, a return visit to the area later in the season makes it doubtful. Now, a year later, the only thing alive on the hill are the invasive grasses which fuel the issue. With OHV in mass numbers and target shooting unrestricted and controls unenforced, the region has been quickly converted to a sea of dead grass and revolving burns.
We found this tiny young Sonoran Desert Tortoise cruising around the base of a basalt mountain in the harsh, remote desert of southwestern Arizona. This little one had likely just started its springtime wandering, looking to take in as many blossoms and young green leaves as possible before the heat forces it underground for a while.
A Sonoran Desert Tortoise cruising around near one of its burrows. These animals dig out and widen natural caves in caliche or under boulders that they will use for a lifetime.
These are protected by law … but did you know you can adopt one as a family pet, for free? If you have a backyard, they are so fun. Here’s how you can adopt a Sonoran Desert Tortoise from the AZGFD: https://www.azgfd.com/wildlife-conservation/living-with-wildlife/wildlife-care-center/tortoise-adoption-information/
We met this big guy the last time we were in Florida. A Common Snapping Turtle, seen crossing a sand road at the edge of remaining Everglades. There was what looked like a squatted truck gathering in the area, so we’re happy we found it first and helped it off the road.
But, we just kicked the can down the road a bit. The place this old turtle lives is slated to become the next massive residential area as the state continues to fill in. If you’ve never seen the everglades … get down there and do it while you can.
I found this Sonoran Desert Tortoise hanging out at the entrance of one of its burrows. Each year, it returns to the same hole that it’s excavated from a smaller natural gap caused by erosion in the upper edge of a wash. During this time, it is mostly nocturnal, never going too far from its aestivation home. Once the monsoon brought moisture to the area, it went on its way to another spot.
