Gopher Tortoise
(Gopherus polyphemus)
Physical Description:
- Average 6 " to 9.5" in length (females slightly larger than males)
- Large, strong, spade-like front legs
- Short, stumpy hind legs
- Upper shell (carapace) is dark brown to gray in color while "under belly" (plastron) is yellowish in color
Range:
- Historically found in the coastal plain stretching from eastern Louisiana, down through peninsular Florida and up to extreme southern South Carolina.
Habitat Description:
- Resides entirely in sandy, upland habitat of the coastal plain
- Although not exclusively found in longleaf pine forests, these fire maintained forests are open in nature and allow much sunlight to reach the forest floor which stimulates numerous low-lying grasses, legumes and forbs
- Epicenter of breeding, feeding, and lodging is a burrow averaging 40 feet in length and 10 feet deep constructed by the gopher tortoise
Feeding:
- Since they cannot climb, jump or sit up, gopher tortoises feed primarily on low-lying grasses (like wiregrass) and forbs (like silkgrass)
- Also eats soft mast such as native blackberry, pawpaw, and palmetto berries
Breeding:
- Females reach sexual maturity between 10 to 20 years of age
- Female lays 3 to 15 eggs in the sandy entrance (apron) of the burrow
- Eggs take 80 - 100 days to incubate
- One clutch of eggs are laid per year
- Nest predation is high
Interesting Trivia:
- Considered a "keystone species" because upwards to 360 different species of vertebrates and invertebrates use the burrow of the gopher tortoise.
- Long lived animal that can live in excess of 60 years.
- Slow growing animal that reaches maturity around 20 years.
Status:
- Declining throughout its range
- Federally threatened in areas of range.
Causes for Decline:
- Predation (human, animals or insects).
- Fire suppression that degrades open forest conditions
- Forestry practices that degrade open forest conditions
- Habitat fragmentation (often resulting in accidents with vehicles)
- Disease
- Slow to reproduce