Bolson tortoise

Bolson tortoise is the largest and rarest land reptile, as well as the rarest of the six Gopherus species native to the North American Continent.

Bolson tortoise

About Bolson tortoises:

  • It is the largest and rarest land reptile, as well as the rarest of the six Gopherus species native to the North American Continent.
  • Adult males are generally smaller than females in this species.
  • The tortoise is a land-dwelling reptile that spends more than 95% of its time in a burrow that it constructs with its shovel-like front feet.
  • All foraging, nesting and mating activities take place during the tortoise active season from roughly April to October
  • The average lifespan of a Bolson tortoise is not known, but probably lies upward of a century.
  • Distribution:
    • This species at present is restricted to a relatively small area of the grasslands of north-central Mexico in the states of Chihuahua, Coahuila and Durango where it exists in disjunct sub-populations.
    • Conservation status
      • IUCN: Critically Endangered

 


Q1) What are Reptiles?

Reptiles are a diverse group of cold-blooded vertebrate animals belonging to the class Reptilia. They are characterized by several key features that distinguish them from other animal groups.

Source: Biologists in slow and steady race to help North America’s largest and rarest tortoise species.

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