Desert Tortoise Council

About us

The Desert Tortoise Council was established in 1975 to promote conservation of the desert tortoise in the deserts of the southwestern United States and Mexico. The Council is a non-profit organization comprised of hundreds of professionals and laypersons who share a common concern for desert tortoises in the wild and a commitment to advancing the public’s understanding of the species. 

The mission of the Desert Tortoise Council is to assure the perpetual survival of viable populations of desert tortoises throughout their historical ranges. We focus our efforts on the tortoise species complex that occurs in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, currently recognized as Gopherus agassizii, Gopherus morafkai, and Gopherus evgoodei.