Watch Out For Shells! Meet America's Military Tortoises

Meet some of the US Military's cuter shells - their desert tortoises. The creatures live in the Tortoise Research and Captive Rearing Site (TRACRS) at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms, California, an unusual project that shell-ebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025. TRACRS operates as a sanctuary for the Mojave Desert's endangered tortoises, shielding them from predators and military training hazards such as tanks and explosives. The facility also aims to mitigate broader threats to the species, including habitat fragmentation, climate change, and human encroachment. Saving the tortoise is important as it plays a vital role in the desert ecosystem - dispersing seeds and creating burrows that shelter other animals. Despite this the animals have declined by more than 95% in some areas of California since the 1970s. Marines stationed at Twentynine Palms even receive specialised training on handling tortoises, demonstrating the Corps' commitment to their preservation. Any encounter with a tortoise during their training exercises requires troops to stop and ensure the animal's safety.