Morafka’s Desert Tortoise
Gopherus morafkai
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassTestudines
- FamilyTestudinidae (Tortoises)
- GenusGopherus (Gopher and Desert Tortoises)
- SpeciesGopherus morafkai (Morafka’s Desert Tortoise)
About the Morafka’s Desert Tortoise
The Sonoran Desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai), or Morafka's desert tortoise, is a species of terrestrial chelonian reptile of the family Testudinidae (tortoises) native to the Sonoran Desert. In 2011, using DNA evidence, geography, and behavioral observations, it was concluded that two distinct species of desert tortoise exist on either side (east-west) of the Colorado River:
the Mojave or Agassiz's desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii); known primarily from the California counties of Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego. Its range continues northeast of Death Valley and the Mojave Desert through the Nevada counties of Clark, Esmeralda, Lincoln and Nye, as well as Mohave County, in Arizona, and extreme southwestern Utah, near Zion National Park.
the Sonoran or Morafka's desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai); found east of the Colorado River, primarily in the Arizona counties of Cochise, Gila, Graham, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yavapai and Yuma. Found in the Sonoran Desert, in the states of Sonora and Sinaloa, Mexico. The new species' name is in honor of the late Professor David Joseph Morafka of California... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Morafka’s Desert Tortoise in Saguaro National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Morafka’s Desert Tortoise sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 301 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Morafka’s Desert Tortoise in Saguaro National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Morafka’s Desert Tortoise in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.