Gopherus agassizii

Desert Tortoise

A member of the Family Testudinidae (Land Tortoises), Order Testudines (Turtles),
Class Reptilia (Reptiles), Phylum Chordata (Vertebrates), Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

At rest on road, wary of photographer.

Ivanpah Road, near junction with Saddle Horn Road, at ca. 3000 feet elevation.

6 April 2008, 12:01 pm.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise in the road, first view.

Seeing it on the road ahead, I pulled over and parked, and as I did, the tortoise stopped.
Not wanting to disturb it too much, I first photographed it through telephoto from the car.

6 April 2008, 11:47 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise, closer telephoto view.

6 April 2008, 11:48 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise, side view.

Since the tortoise showed little fear, I got out of the car and approached it from
a better lit angle.  Initially, it kept its head in the same position, as shown above.

6 April 2008, 11:49 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise, head detail.

As I photographed the tortoise, it turned its head to see what I was doing.  Only once
when I made a jerking motion forward did it briefly pull its head in.

6 April 2008, 11:50 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise, head in more detail.

Bits of the tortoise's meals hang from its mouth.

6 April 2008, 11:50 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise, detail of foot.

6 April 2008, 11:50 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise, head detail.

6 April 2008, 11:51 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise, neck detail.

6 April 2008, 11:51 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise, walking toward me.

Heeding National Park Service recommendations, I kept my distance from the tortoise,
since one that is very startled can empty its bladder, making it more vulnerable
to dessication.  This one, however, hadn't consulted with NPS, and to my surprise
started walking—towards me!  It, in fact, walked up to my greenish-colored boot
as I stayed in my crouching position, sniffed it, then walked on past, when I captured
the image which follows.  It was actually too close to photograph when at my foot.

6 April 2008, 11:51 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise, walking away.

6 April 2008, 11:52 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise, shell detail.

This detail of the prior image suggests a reason the tortoise approached me.
Note the number code (ABNQ?) glued on the shell.  This tortoise is apparently
a subject of a study, and has encountered humans before.

6 April 2008, 11:52 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise, walking away.

After sniffing my boot and passing me, walking further into the middle of the road,
the tortoise then turned around and walked in the direction it was originally traveling
when I first saw it.  I followed it with my lens.

6 April 2008, 11:53 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise walking away, another view, a few steps closer to the shoulder.

6 April 2008, 11:53 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise in full stride.

Note that two legs, diagonally opposite, are off the pavement at once.

6 April 2008, 11:54 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Same tortoise, stopped in its stride.

Although I did not want to pursue the tortoise as it walked away, I did walk past it
and make this image as I passed.  While I was making this series of the one
tortoise, I saw another one up the road cross into the creosote bush.  I then
made a cautious search for the second one in the area it disappeared into.

6 April 2008, 11:55 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Second tortoise in its native habitat.

6 April 2008, 11:58 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Second tortoise, as above, a closer view.

6 April 2008, 11:58 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Head detail of the second tortoise.

This one looks more wary than the first one, but like the first,
also has the remnants of its meals stuck around its mouth.

6 April 2008, 11:59 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Another head detail of the second tortoise.

It became used to me enough to venture a blink of the eye, here pictured.

6 April 2008, 11:59 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Shell detail of the second tortoise.

6 April 2008, 11:59 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Head detail of the first tortoise.

After departing from tortoise two, I returned to the first, who was still walking along
the road, and took this image, as well as the one at the top of the page.

6 April 2008, 12:02 pm.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

Habitat.

The dot across the road from the car, to the left of the shoulder stripe, is the first
tortoise.  I suspect the bright color of the car is one reason the tortoise
stopped when I drove up: Bright shiny red is a color these vegetarian reptiles would
associate with a luscious fruit or cactus flower.  It may have been trying to work
out if this big attractive object which stopped across the way was edible.

6 April 2008, 11:56 am.

Image copyright © Lee Dittmann.

This page created 15 September 2008; last revised 1 August 2010.