What is a Gopher Tortoise?

 

What is it?  The gopher tortoise is a reptile with a high domed shell and powerful clawed limbs that it uses to dig deep underground burrows. Those burrows help tortoises avoid extreme cold and heat.  Where does it live? Gopher tortoises are the only tortoise naturally found east of the Mississippi River, ranging from southeastern Louisiana to South Carolina and throughout Florida. They make their homes in dry, sandy uplands.  Okay, so? The burrows that gopher tortoises dig provide shelter for about 360 other species of animals. That burrow-building makes these tunneling tanks a keystone species. What’s good for the gopher tortoise is good for their whole ecosystem!  What does Defenders do? We’re coordinating with species experts in Florida to determine what protections the gopher tortoise may need under the Endangered Species Act. We’re also pushing to ensure that programs like agriculture and renewable energy siting follow rules to ensure that these tortoises and their habitat aren’t harmed.  Gopher tortoises protect hundreds of other species – so when we protect them, we’re doing even more for wildlife! Together we’ll keep them happily burrowing for generations to come. Click here to learn more about gopher tortoises and other tortoises Defenders works to protect!     Defenders of Wildlife 1130 17th Street NW • Washington, DC 20036 defenders.org  Photo credit: Gopher Tortoise - Ernesto Sanchez-Proal