Mojave Desert Tortoise Recovery

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is offering $2 million in grant funding to develop or enhance Mojave Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) Recovery.   This funding supports projects that produce measurable, near-term progress toward Mojave Desert Tortoise recovery in California, prioritizing actions with a strong evidence base and the ability to report outcomes within the grant period.

Eligible projects should be focused on: Managing habitat connectivity and linkage protection, including maintenance and installation of Mojave Desert tortoise fencing along roads within and near the Tortoise Conservation Area corridors to concentrate desert tortoise and increase adult survivorship and overall population densities. Installing, or improving culverts, underpasses or overpasses to allow for Mojave Desert tortoise movement. Cumulative-impact monitoring and data infrastructure, such as a centralized geospatial tracking system for surface disturbance, remediation effectiveness, and translocation outcomes across the species' range. Supporting on-the-ground efforts to improve habitat conditions for Mojave Desert tortoises in landscapes affected by adjacent development including, but not limited to, addressing surface hydrology disruptions, predator monitoring and control, habitat restoration and enhancement actions (including seeding with desert tortoise forage species), and nonnative removal and control to benefit population recovery. Activities to support population augmentation of depleted Mojave Desert tortoise populations including establishment of facilities, head-starting and reintroduction, genetic testing, translocation logistics, health screening, post release monitoring.