By: Morgan Black
INTRODUCTION
What do you get when you mix a porcupine with a desert tortoise? A Slow Poke!!! Ha Ha Ha! Well hello friend's! I am the Dolly the Desert Tortoise. I am a slow moving turtle that lives in the Arizona Desert! I can grow really big and I live for a really long time. In this page you can find a lot of interesting facts about me and how I survive! Take a look at all my cute pictures too! When you are all finished learning about me, give my test a try! I also left a really fun activity for you and your friend's or classmates to do! So let's get started!
 I am the official reptile of California and Nevada. I will live for 50 to 80 years. My worst predators are ravens, coyotes, Gila monsters and road runners, who try to eat my eggs. It is against the law to touch, harm or collect me, but there are legal desert tortoise clubs that allow for me to adopted by humans. There is only 100,000 living desert tortoises left in the world.
 WHERE DO I LIVE?
I am a slow mover. I live underground 95 per cent of the time. Because I am a reptile, I can dig underground. This makes it easier to live in hot climates like my home, the Sonoran Desert! I live in the Mohave desert too, and you can find my family living in California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. I can live where temperatures are as high as 140 degrees and I can go an entire year without drinking a sip of water! I like to burrow in sandy canyon bottoms and I can make holes to live in 3-6 feet deep. I spend the months of November through February in hibernation and I am active during the hot spring months.
 My water comes from eating grasses and wildflowers. I am a herbivore which means that I do not eat meat. I like to eat grass and fruits that fall from cactus. I can store water in my belly for long periods of time and I dig holes to collect rain water that I can drink when I get thirsty!
 HOW DO I LOOK?
My body is 4-6 inches high and 9-15 inches long. When I am full grown I can reach up to 15 pounds in weight. I have a dark brown high domed shell and heavy front legs with long claws that are good for digging.
 HOW DO I REPRODUCE?
I lay eggs about three times a year. I can have 4-8 babies every time. I start having babies when I am about 15 years old. When I lay eggs I try to keep them protected from birds and critters that try to steal my eggs for their dinner!  I became an Endangered Species in 1989.
If the soil is above 88 degrees where I lay my eggs then I will have all girl babies.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND INFORMATION ABOUT ME www.desertmuseum.org/programs/tap.php The desert museum provides a great link for activities and fun facts about the Desert Tortoise.www.desertusa.com/junee96/du_tort.html Desert USA is an easy read that talks about the habitat of the Desert Tortoise. www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/desert_tortoise.php This link has great pictures of the Desert Tortoise. ACTIVITY
ARIZONA DESERT TORTOISE PROGRAM
Students! Check out this site to see if adopting a desert turtle would be a fun class pet!
Remember that all pets are tough work to take care of!
As a class, brainstorm how you could create a home for your desert tortoise in the classroom!
How much space would it need?
How much food and water would you need to supply your pet everyday?
What type of weather would your pet need to be comfortable?
Would your pet be OK if you left it in the classroom over the weekends or would the class need to take turns babysitting on no school days?
What would the class name your pet?
Kindergarteners-
Draw a picture of your pet desert tortoise and give it a name.
First Graders and Second Graders-
Write a letter to the Arizona Desert Tortoise Program asking to let your class adopt a pet!
Make sure to tell them why your class should be chosen to take care of an endangered species!
Include how you will take care of your new pet!
SITES WHERE INFORMATION AND PICTURES WERE GATHERED:
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_tortoise
Desert Tortoise USA
http://www.desertusa.com/june96/du_tort.html
Mohave Desert
http://www.mojavedata.gov/deserttortoise_gov/
Enchanted Learning
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/turtle/Destortprintout.shtml
IMAGE CREDITS:
State Symbols USA http://www.google.com/imgres?q=desert+tortoise&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&rls=en&biw=1680&bih=914&tbm=isch&tbnid=i04hVeCY8FS71M:&imgrefurl=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/California/CAstatereptile.html&docid=PQl_1SSKNFZTAM&imgurl=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/IMAGES/California/desert_tortoise_NPS.jpg&w=380&h=293&ei=5DE_T_HDJojo2gW4vcCBCA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=298&sig=112624304125598365095&page=1&tbnh=111&tbnw=144&start=0&ndsp=40&ved=0CHcQrQMwCw&tx=104&ty=93
Arkive
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=desert+tortoise&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&rls=en&biw=1680&bih=914&tbm=isch&tbnid=IUwJrCuEXJNe9M:&imgrefurl=http://www.arkive.org/desert-tortoise/gopherus-agassizii/&docid=bxyv3FpOz0ZUyM&imgurl=http://cdn1.arkive.org/media/67/6741D3AC-AA60-4A7B-98F5-D86FB7E39063/Presentation.Large/Desert-tortoise.jpg&w=650&h=433&ei=5DE_T_HDJojo2gW4vcCBCA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=690&vpy=476&dur=358&hovh=141&hovw=211&tx=131&ty=68&sig=112624304125598365095&page=2&tbnh=112&tbnw=168&start=40&ndsp=45&ved=0CMMCEK0DMDs
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