Wild Tortoise Welfare and Habitat Loss

Terrestrial tortoises across the world face habitat loss, collection for the pet trade, and climate stress that affect welfare at individual and population levels.

Key Facts

Many tortoise species are critically endangered from habitat loss and collection
Desert tortoises in the American Southwest have been displaced by solar development
Gopher tortoises serve as keystone species whose burrows shelter hundreds of other species
Tortoises collected for the pet trade often die within years from improper care
Climate change is threatening desert tortoise populations through extreme heat and drought

Welfare Considerations

Tortoise welfare spans individual and ecosystem dimensions. Individual wild tortoises displaced from habitat face starvation and dehydration without the specific plant communities they have evolved to exploit. Those collected for the pet trade enter a welfare system ill-equipped to provide the specialized diet, temperature, and space requirements these long-lived reptiles need. Many die within years of collection from improper care. As long-lived, slow-reproducing species, individual welfare harms to adults have outsized population consequences.

What You Can Do

Never purchase wild-caught tortoises and verify that any tortoise considered as a pet is captive-bred
Support habitat protection specifically for threatened tortoise species in your region
Donate to tortoise rescue organizations that rehome surrendered pet tortoises
Advocate for solar development siting policies that protect desert tortoise habitat