Desert Tortoise III

This is my third post on the desert tortoise (the first is here and the second is here). Judy and I were driving down a dirt road south of Hayfield Road, south of Joshua Tree NP (which is closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic) and it was right in the dirt road. 

This is where we placed it, near some Bigelow's monkeflower and desert dandelion.  

We never did see it come out of its shell, although we didn't watch it long. 

I had to stop to avoid running it over. We picked it up and moved it about 15 yards from the road. It is small, I assume it must be only four or five years old (they live 50 years or longer and don't reach maturity for 15 years). 

They live 95% of their lives underground and adults can travel up to 3/4 of a mile in a day, a shocking figure to me. 

It is such a treat to see one. That sighting made the whole drive out there worthwhile.