Dozens of desert tortoises up for adoption

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - For anyone who’s wanted a pet tortoise, now’s their chance, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

More than 50 turtles are in need of homes before tortoises’ burrowing period, which starts as temperatures drop, department officials say. Only Arizona residents can adopt them, per state law.

Each year, the department, adopts out hundreds of captive desert tortoises who can’t be released into the wild, as those tortoises can carry diseases that are harmful to wildlife. They’re typically only adopted between April and Sept, because they hibernate during colder months.

For more information about adopting a tortoise, click here.