“Ancient Eco-System Engineers”
These amazing reptiles have roamed America’s most southern states for thousands of years. They live in scrubby forest areas with sandy soil where trees are not too dense. One can often be spotted in Lemon Bay Park, usually sitting by its burrow.
Gopher Facts
Gopher tortoises can live up to 80 years in the wild and up to 100 years in captivity.
- Gophers grow to about 15 inches long and weigh 8 to 15 pounds.
- They have a high domed shell, brownish-gray on top and yellow underneath. Younger tortoises are usually dark tan.
- They eat grass, flowers, berries, and cacti.
- They drink very little water.
- They cannot swim.
Why are they called “eco-system engineers?
Gophers have shovel-like front legs with claws, which they use to dig long, deep burrows. One gopher burrow in northern Florida was recorded at 65 feet long and 26 feet deep. Their burrows provide homes for more than 360 different species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and birds. Gopher tortoises are protected under the Endangered Species Act.
How You Can Help
If you see a gopher tortoise trying to cross a road, you may be able to help get it out of harm’s way. If it is safe for you to do so, pick the tortoise up and place it on the roadside in the direction it was heading.
Celebrate these long-lived, gentle creatures on Gopher Tortoise Day on April 10th!
Sources
Defenders of Wildlife. “5 Fun Facts about Gopher Tortoises,” https://defenders.org/blog/2016/04/5-fun-facts-about-gopher-tortoises. Accessed 10, Oct. 2019.
Fillipi, Dan. “Tortoises,” Defenders of Wildlife, defenders.org/wildlife/tortoises. Accessed 10, Oct. 2019.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Fact Sheet on Gopher Tortoise, USFWS North Florida Ecological Services Office, www.fws.gov/northflorida/GopherTortoise/Gopher_Tortoise_Fact_Sheet.html. Accessed 10, Oct. 2019.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “Gopher Tortoise Day – April 10th,” gophertortoisedayfl.com/. Accessed 10, Oct. 2019.