Nest guarding by female Agassiz's desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) at a wind-energy facility near Palm Springs, California
Southwestern Naturalist
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Abstract
We observed behavior consistent with nest-guarding in Agassiz's desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) at two nests in a large wind-energy-generation facility near Palm Springs, California, locally known as the Mesa Wind Farm. As researchers approached the nests, female desert tortoises moved to the entrance of their burrows and positioned themselves sideways, directly over their nests. One female stretched her limbs outward and wedged herself into the burrow (her plastron directly above the nest). Guarding of nests is rarely observed in Agassiz's desert tortoise but can occur as a result of attempted predation on eggs by Gila monsters (Heloderma suspectum) or in direct response to the perceived threat posed by researchers. This is the first report of nest-guarding for G. agassizii in the Sonoran Desert ecosystem of California.
Suggested Citation
Agha, M., Lovich, J.E., Ennen, J., Wilcox, E., 2013, Nest guarding by female Agassiz's desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) at a wind-energy facility near Palm Springs, California: Southwestern Naturalist, v. 58, no. 2, p. 254-257, https://doi.org/10.1894/0038-4909-58.2.254.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Nest guarding by female Agassiz's desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) at a wind-energy facility near Palm Springs, California |
| Series title | Southwestern Naturalist |
| DOI | 10.1894/0038-4909-58.2.254 |
| Volume | 58 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Year Published | 2013 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Southwestern Association of Naturalists |
| Contributing office(s) | Southwest Biological Science Center |
| Description | 4 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Southwestern Naturalist |
| First page | 254 |
| Last page | 257 |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| City | Palm Springs |