Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Bolson tortoise (Gopherus flavomarginatus), recorded as Critically Endangered
Bolson tortoise (Gopherus flavomarginatus). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Bolson tortoise

Gopherus flavomarginatus

Bolson tortoise is a tortoise in the family Testudinidae — Gopherus flavomarginatus, recorded as Critically Endangered.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Gopherus flavomarginatus
CITES
Appendix I
Taxonomy
Testudines · Testudinidae · Gopherus

Appearance

The Bolson tortoise, also called the Mexican giant tortoise, Mexican gopher tortoise, yellow-bordered tortoise or yellow-margined tortoise, is a tortoise from North America.

Of the six North American tortoise species, it is the largest, having a carapace length of about 46 cm (18 in).

Range and habitat

In 2008, following the construction of federally subsidized ethanol plants, extensive corn farming operations began within the Mapimi Biosphere Reserve.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

In crisis

The most recent research, published in 1991 from data collected in 1983, estimates that fewer than 10,000 tortoises remain in the wild. Populations have declined mostly due to overcollecting for food and the pet trade. Even so, in the northeastern portion of its range, near La Sierra Mojada, populations of the tortoise are low.

This reclassification would move G. Flavomarginatus from Vulnerable (VU) to Critically Endangered (CR).

CITES lists this taxon on Appendix I. Confirm the current appendix on the CITES checklist.

Bolson tortoise is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Bolson tortoise, Wikidata item Q304573. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Desert tortoise

Gopherus agassizii
Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii

Quick answers

What is Bolson tortoise?
Bolson tortoise is a tortoise in the family Testudinidae — Gopherus flavomarginatus.
What is the conservation status of Bolson tortoise?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Gopherus flavomarginatus. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Bolson tortoise live?
The Bolson tortoise, also called the Mexican giant tortoise, Mexican gopher tortoise, yellow-bordered tortoise or yellow-margined tortoise, is a tortoise from North America.
Why is Bolson tortoise in crisis?
The most recent research, published in 1991 from data collected in 1983, estimates that fewer than 10,000 tortoises remain in the wild.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Gopherus flavomarginatus?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Bolson tortoise a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.