… The California Department of Fish and Wildlife classified the Mojave Desert tortoise as threatened in 1989. A year later, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the tortoise as threatened. But California has taken measures a step further this year by declaring the tortoise as endangered under the state’s Endangered Species Act. … [T]hey face multiple threats, including off-road vehicles, predators, drought, and even military bases. Then there’s climate change. During California’s long drought that lasted from 2012 to 2016, Lovich conducted a study that showed a big decline in female tortoises. That’s because when female tortoises lay eggs, they lose water and protein. Drought exacerbates this, ultimately affecting the population’s survival.