The Mojave Desert Pilot Area includes areas within the Desert Tortoise Recovery Plan in California and Nevada. The landscape is important for shrubland habitat and connectivity for desert tortoise, as well as other threatened, endangered, and endemic species.The Amargosa River also cuts through the area, over 175 miles long and often called the “hide and seek” river because of its inclination to travel underground, occasionally resurfacing to create lush oases surrounded by a harsh, dry desert environment. Groundwater discharge within the Amargosa Basin sustains unique phreatophytic, riparian, and aquatic ecosystems that are the only habitats within the surrounding arid region for endemic plants and animals. These ecosystems also provide recreational opportunities for residents and visitors to the region.