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Context

• To prevent the Bolson tortoise from going extinct, biologists have been working for more than 20 years to set up a captive breeding program and a free-ranging population.

Bolson Tortoise

About

• The Bolson Tortoise (Gopherus flavomarginatus), also called the Mexican giant tortoise or yellow-margined tortoise, is a species of tortoise from North America.
• Of the six North American tortoise species, it is the largest, having a carapace length of about 46 cm.
• It lives in a region of the Chihuahuan Desert known as the Bolsón de Mapimí, which is located in north-central Mexico.

Geographic Range

• Bolson tortoises, are located in the Nearctic Region, and are primarily endemic to a portion of the Mapimi Basin in the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico.

Habitat

• Bolson tortoises live at an average elevation of 1500m but are sometimes found in elevations as low as 1000m and as high as 2000m near volcanic slopes.
• Their habitat is a semi-hot desert climate with winter temperatures around 2.8°C and summer temperatures ranging to 36.3°C.

Lifespan/Longevity

• Bolson tortoises have been observed to live over 50 years in the wild (range 20-70). Their average lifespan in the wild is 35 years (range 20-50) 

Food Habits

• Bolson tortoises are herbivores that mainly consume desert scrub, with the halophytic grass Hilaria mutica comprising 60% of their diet.

Conservation Status

• The IUCN Red List categorizes Bolson tortoises as "Vulnerable."
• These tortoises are protected under CITES Appendix I. An Appendix I listing means that CITES prohibits international trade in specimens except for scientific purposes.
• The cause for their severe decline is human development and destruction of their habitat.

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements with reference to Bolson Tortoise. 1.Of the six North American tortoise species, it is the largest, having a carapace length of about 46 cm. 2.Bolson tortoises, are primarily endemic to a portion of the Mapimi Basin in the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico. 3.The IUCN Red List categorizes Bolson tortoises as "Vulnerable." 4.These tortoises are protected under CITES Appendix I. How many of the above are correct? A) Only 1 B) Only 2 C) Only 3 D) All Four Answer: D) All Four

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