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Why Turtles?

Found around the world in rivers, deserts, jungles, and our own backyards, it’s easy to assume tortoises and freshwater turtles will always be here. But the very traits that once helped them survive render them vulnerable to extinction today.

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Protecting the world’s most endangered tortoises and freshwater turtles

We All Play a Role.

To save turtles, we all play a role. Every day, tortoises and freshwater turtles around the globe face pressing threats. Your support equips us to support species where and how they need us most.

Turtles are ancient and remarkable creatures who deserve a champion. When you stand with us, you help ensure their continued survival. Together, we can create a world with zero turtle extinctions.

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Gopherus morafkai

Morafka’s Desert Tortoise

Habitat:

• Subtropical Upland Sonoran desertscrub with boulders and bedrock outcrops, dry washes with alluvial rock, and semi-desert grassland and desertscrub on sandy-loam soils

Threats:

• Habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation from urbanization, agriculture, and border infrastructure
• Altered fire regimes and conversion to invasive, fire-prone grasslands
• Increasing drought and climate change
• Road mortality
• Disease
• Illegal collection

Wild Population:

• Stable to declining
• Drought and habitat degradation have caused local subpopulation declines

Conservation Efforts:

• Habitat protection and management
• Mitigation of barriers and human impacts
• Invasive species management and fire-risk reduction
• Population monitoring and research
• Legal protection and enforcement
• Regulation of collection and trade
• Public outreach and education

Endangered Status:

Vulnerable

Species Range

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