My first of hopefully many images featuring the new model I'm working on. Desert tortoises can live in areas with ground temperatures exceeding 140 °F (60 °C) because of their ability to dig underground burrows and escape the heat. At least 95% of their lives are spent in burrows. There, they are also protected from freezing winter weather while dormant, from November through February or March. Within their burrows, these tortoises create a subterranean environment that can be beneficial to other reptiles, mammals, birds, and invertebrates. Desert tortoises can live well over 50 years, with estimates of lifespan varying from 50 to 80 years. Causes of mortality include predation, disease, human-related factors, and environmental factors such as drought, flooding, and fire. The desert tortoise is the state reptile of California and Nevada in the United States. Rendered in Firefly without postwork. Models include Nature's Wonders Sagebrush Habitat, Turtles and Turtles of the World v1: Tortoises (everything by me).