in the desert, tortoises take the top spot. “A lot of people love to see these animals,” Darby says. “Knowing they’re out ...

and many other rare plants and animals adapted to live in harsh desert environments. Congress designated the area in 1976, and the 1994 California Desert Protection Act further increased protection by ...

With diverse ecosystems and one of the largest populations of animals, this West Coast state is also home to the most endangered animals in the US.

“The Western Mojave’s desert tortoises are sliding toward extinction, so it’s long past time for the Bureau of Land Management to curb these vehicles’ threats to the tortoises and all the rare plants ...