Vegetation cover, topography, and low-traffic roads influence Sonoran desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) movement and habitat selection

Bare earth or high vegetation cover, flat or extremely rugged terrain, areas far from desert washes, and low-traffic roads may discourage or restrict tortoise movement. Therefore, preventing the development of roads, activities that degrade washes, and activities that thin, remove, or greatly increase vegetation cover may encourage tortoise habitat use and movement within those habitats.