How do desert tortoises help other animals survive?
Meet the reptile engineers of the Mojave Desert (for kids ages 3–11)
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🤝 This episode is part of Wild Critters USA, a collaboration between Orbit, PBS Nature, and the National Wildlife Federation.
Did you know that a single Mojave Desert tortoise burrow can become a shelter for rabbits, owls, rattlesnakes, kangaroo rats, and many other desert animals?
In this episode of Orbit: Science for Kids on the Move!, we travel to the Mojave Desert with wildlife biologist Brianna Fogel from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Discover how desert tortoises survive in one of North America's harshest environments, why they spend so much time underground, and why scientists call them a keystone species.
Along the way, kids learn how tortoises survive extreme heat, where they find water in the desert, and how one animal can help support an entire desert community.
Vocabulary and Concepts from the Episode
Desert: A place that receives very little rainfall.
Burrow: A tunnel or shelter dug underground by an animal.
Tortoise: A land-dwelling reptile with a protective shell.
Habitat: The natural place where a plant or animal lives.
Keystone Species: A species that plays an especially important role in its ecosystem.
Carapace: The top part of a tortoise's shell.
Wildlife Biologist: A scientist who studies animals and their habitats.
The Science Behind the Episode
The Mojave Desert is one of the hottest and driest places in North America. To survive there, animals need special adaptations that help them find water, stay cool, and avoid predators.
Mojave Desert tortoises spend much of their lives in underground burrows. These burrows protect them from extreme temperatures and provide shelter during both hot summers and cold winters.
Scientists consider desert tortoises a keystone species because their burrows are used by many other animals. By digging and maintaining these underground shelters, tortoises help create safe places for countless desert creatures to survive.
What Your Child Will Learn
What makes a place a desert.
How Mojave Desert tortoises survive extreme heat.
How tortoises find water in dry environments.
Why tortoises spend so much time underground.
What a keystone species is.
How tortoise burrows help other animals.
What wildlife biologists do.
Why protecting habitats is important for conservation.
Big Questions About Desert Tortoises
What is a Mojave Desert tortoise?
A Mojave Desert tortoise is a land-dwelling reptile that lives in the deserts of the southwestern United States.
How do tortoises survive in the desert?
They spend much of their time in burrows, conserve water, and get moisture from the plants they eat.
What's the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?
Tortoises live on land, while many turtles spend much of their lives in water.
Why do tortoises dig burrows?
Burrows help protect them from extreme temperatures and predators.
What animals use tortoise burrows?
Many animals, including rabbits, owls, rattlesnakes, and kangaroo rats, use tortoise burrows for shelter.
What is a keystone species?
A keystone species is an organism that has a large impact on its ecosystem. When it disappears, many other species are affected too.
About the Expert
Brianna Fogel is a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She studies and helps protect desert wildlife, including the Mojave Desert tortoise. Her work helps scientists understand how animals survive in challenging environments and how people can help conserve them.
Why STEM Podcasts for Kids?
STEM podcasts help children build curiosity, science vocabulary, and confidence asking questions. They also provide a screen-free way for families to learn together, turning car rides, quiet time, and everyday moments into opportunities for discovery and conversation.
About Orbit: Science for Kids on the Move!
Orbit: Science for Kids on the Move! is a science podcast for curious kids ages 3–11 featuring real experts, kid questions, and fun storytelling.
Each episode helps children explore animals, weather, space, technology, engineering, the human body, and the natural world while building curiosity, science vocabulary, and confidence in learning.
Perfect for:
Car rides
Quiet time at home
Screen-free afternoons
Family adventures
Learning on the go