Endangered Species: Research Strategy and Long-Term Monitoring Needed for the Mojave Desert Tortoise Recovery Program

United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2002-12-09 monographic deposited born digital 58 p. GA 1.13:GAO-03-23 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-23 P0b002ee1803875df f:d0323 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-23 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-23 GAO-03-23 Endangered species Wildlife Wildlife conservation Land management Cost analysis Arizona California Nevada Utah Other Written Product A05698

Endangered Species: Research Strategy and Long-Term Monitoring Needed for the Mojave Desert Tortoise Recovery Program Since the 1980s, biologists have been concerned about declines in the Mojave Desert Tortoise, which ranges through millions of acres in the western United States. The tortoise was first listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in Utah in 1980; it was later listed as threatened rangewide in 1990. The listing and designation of critical habitat for the tortoise, as well as recommendations in the tortoise recovery plan, have been controversial. In our report, we evaluate--assisted by scientists identified by the National Academy of Sciences--the scientific basis for key decisions related to the tortoise, assess the effectiveness of actions taken to conserve desert tortoises, determine the status of the population, and identify costs and benefits associated with desert tortoise recovery actions. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-23/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-23.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-23/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-23.pdf GAO-03-23 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-23 Other Written Product GAO-03-23; Endangered Species: Research Strategy and Long-Term Monitoring Needed for the Mojave Desert Tortoise Recovery Program; Endangered species Wildlife Wildlife conservation Land management Cost analysis Arizona California Nevada Utah United States Code Title 16 Section 1531et seq. 16 U.S.C. 1531et seq.