California's Mojave Desert has become the backdrop of choice for many Instagram influencers who dig the aesthetics of Joshua trees and the otherworldly arid landscapes. Joshua Tree National Park now receives more than 3 million annual visitors, which has contributed to a localized housing shortage as more homes convert into Airbnbs to serve the influx of tourists.
But a resident who has called the region home long before humans ever arrived may soon be permanently pushed out. The desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) is inching closer to extinction, while conservation efforts are falling dramatically short, according to experts. Based on current projections, the tortoises may go extinct in just a few decades. Ironic, given the shelled reptile's role as a poster child for the environmental movement.
