Here at GBI, we manage one of the most expansive and prominent Desert Tortoise Monitoring and Habitat Research programs across the Mojave Desert. In partnership with agencies like the Bureau Land Management (BLM), U.S Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS), and Clark County, GBI fields Americorps Technicians, Wildlife Technicians, and Desert Tortoise Field Supervisors to conduct population surveys on the Mojave Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). These surveys include tracking tortoise movements, population monitoring, telemetry, and habitat assessment. GBI field crews sample rangewide transects, conduct radio telemetry throughout various regions of southern Nevada, and collect critical data on tortoise density, health, and distribution. In order to find these tortoises, researchers attach radio transmitters to tortoise shells to trace movements and assess survival rates.
One of the many people at the heart of this work is Nick Mendelsohn, a dedicated wildlife conservationist whose passion for field work has taken him from the Mojave desert to the Sierra Nevada and beyond. With a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Nevada Reno (UNR), Nick has spent years immersed in hands-on conservation. His hard work stems from the deep love for nature and a desire to make a difference in our natural environment.
While attending UNR, Nick contributed to projects like the Pinyon-Juniper study and the desert tortoise project in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This experience opened a door for him in wildlife conservation, leading him to Las Vegas where he spent a year working directly with desert tortoises. Prior to this, Nick worked for GBI in 2020 as a forestry program technician. Following 2020, from March of 2021 to May of 2024, Nick served as a Desert Tortoise Field Crew Lead with GBI, leading teams into some of the most remote and ecologically significant landscapes in the west, such as the Boulder City Conservation Easement (BCCE). “The BCCE is one of those places where you really feel the pulse of the desert,” Nick reflects. “Its quite vast and full of life, if you know where to look. You can spend hours out there, following tortoise trails or setting up telemetry equipment, and it never feels repetitive. Every day you’re reminded of why this work matters!”
Nick, and his past teams, conducted critical surveys across the Mojave, setting up long distance transects daily to detect desert tortoises. They recorded data on live and deceased tortoises, always adhering to strict handling protocols, and navigated rugged terrain with GPS and additional field tools. “The data we collect is so important”, Nick explains. “Every time we see an animal, we log details like location, burrow type and habitat conditions. We use iPads and paper datasheets in the field, and at the end of each week we perform data QA/QC (for) errors before submitting to our Data Specialist Brittany Nelson. From there it goes to Desert Tortoise Monitoring Coordinator, Corey Mitchell at USFWS, who is in charge of helping us secure the permits we need since desert tortoises are federally protected.” Corey Mitchell also helps train desert tortoise teams/crews while assessing field data.
Desert tortoises are among the most adaptable and resilient creatures in the Mojave, but they face constant threats from habitat loss, wildfires, and human activity. “They’re incredible; they can go an entire year without drinking water, getting all their hydration from the food they eat. They store water in their bladders, which they can use as a defensive mechanism when handled; sometimes spraying handlers or other threats. If they use too much of their water storage it can be dangerous (to their health). Therefore, we use small syringes to replenish them with water if needed. It’s all about minimizing harm, and giving them the best chance to thrive,” Nick explains. Additionally tortoise levels of activity really depend on the season. In the spring especially during wildflower blooms tortoises will be more active as they eat globe mallows and beavertail cactus. “Once summer hits and temperatures rise, they retreat underground. They’ll come up if they smell rain and in winter they’ll hibernate or brumate, depending on the specific species.”
For Nick, fieldwork isn’t just a job, it’s a way of life. “The BCCE taught me that conservation isn’t just about the species you’re protecting; it’s about the land itself.” You’re standing in a place where tortoises have lived for generations, where the soil tells a story and where every plant and animal plays a role. Whether he’s leading a crew, sampling desert tortoise habitat with a transect partner, or tracking tortoises, Nick thrives on giving the others the opportunity to experience the rewards and challenges of this important fieldwork, firsthand.
