Two Sonoran Desert tortoises die after Arizona’s extreme summer heat

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) – Even wildlife native to the desert and known to adapt to extreme heat had a hard time this summer. We saw this with withering saguaro cacti and some dead Sonoran Desert tortoises.

This year’s record-breaking heat was too hot for even some desert wildlife to handle. “They can only take so much just like any species, they do have limits,” said Jessie Dwyer of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. They are talking about Sonoran Desert tortoises.

They said two died on the preserve this year due to apparent dehydration, and a third tortoise was found in bad shape, but they were able to save it. “It is a little disheartening because they have been such a healthy population, so we are definitely worried going forward what these summers are gonna look like,” said Dwyer.

The nonprofit advocacy organization said compounding conditions like the recent relentless extreme heat and little rain had caused stress among tortoises, and the Diamond Fire didn’t help. It started at the end of June in north Scottsdale and burned nearly 2,000 acres, which destroyed some resources and led to habitat loss for tortoises.

“It’s also a native vegetation issue where you’re losing cover and you’re losing the diversity and the food sources of these tortoises, too. So, it might become a barrier to movement rather than a corridor in the future if we’re not keeping up on invasive species management and restoration,” said Dwyer.

The conservancy said they are working collaboratively with the city of Scottsdale and the McDowell Mountain Regional Park to restore the land damaged by the fire in part by re-planting native vegetation.

Dwyer said that hazardous red brome has taken over right now. “There’s been studies that have found tortoises that don’t have anything else to eat except for red brome, which is an invasive grass, will have malnutrition issues and won’t be able to survive long term,” said Dwyer.

Dwyer said an ongoing study in partnership with the Arizona Department of Game and Fish will continue monitoring the tortoises’ health.

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