Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Boulder City, Nevada
2025
This axiom, like many others, doesn’t always ring true. The desert tortoise is listed as a threatened species for a number of reasons, one of which is while crossing the road their slow walking speed leaves them vulnerable to automobiles. As fast as can be is more likely to win the road crossing race. The highway north of Boulder City through the Lake Mead National Recreation Area has 18″ high fences along both sides for miles. I though they were leprechaun fences or something until I found out they were put there to direct tortoises to safe crossings under the highway.
I’m glad to hear about the fences! Desert tortoises are also threatened by a loss of habitat, perhaps even more than death by motor vehicle.
Habitat is certainly most important. If the habitat is gone then there will be no tortoises to be wandering across the road. Unless of course their habitat is destroyed so they head off across the highway looking for a new place to live.