STATE TORTOISE OF FLORIDA
Written and Photographed by Shanna Weber
Gopher Tortoises are named so based on their affinity to dig and to burrow. They are known as a keystone species (a species that has a large effect on its environment) because its burrows offer home and refuge for as many as 360 other species. Typically, a Gopher Tortoise will burrow up to 48 feet long and almost 10 feet deep.
These tortoises are a solitary species, outside of the breeding season. Mating season is from April-November with females laying between 1-25 eggs, while the sex of the egg is determined by the temperature in which they are incubated. In Florida, incubation time is between 80-90 days. Male Gopher Tortoises have concave shells and longer tails and tend to be smaller than the females.
Gopher Tortoises can live up to 40 years in the wild and substantially longer in captivity. These tortoises are herbivores and scavengers. Their diet contains over 300 species of plants including legumes, mushrooms, and blackberries. Also, they usually obtain their water through food, so drinking water is only employed during severe drought.
*Both Tortoise and its burrow are protected under state law.*
Additional Sources:
For More information on Gopher Tortoises visit: http://myfwc.com/GopherTortoise and http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2017/04/10/protecting-and-conserving-gopher-tortoises/
Video of the tunnel of a Gopher Tortoise with Sir David Attenborough:
Video regarding the protection of Gopher Tortoises: