#gopher tortoise

[great-and-small]

[svlc]

some Florida wildlife (alligator, manatee, gopher tortoise, anhinga, "palmetto bug"), interlocking crochet

[vintagewildlife]

Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) By: Stephen J. Krasemann From: Wildlife of the Deserts 1980

[harkthorn]

More reptile sketches. I enjoyed doing them the other day, so did some more. Iguana heads and turtle/tortoise mouths (like beaks, or dragon snouts!) are kind of fun to draw

-2510

[rachelsrandomsphotos]

Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus)

Taken at Turkey Creek Sanctuary in Palm Bay, FL

[sitting-on-me-bum]

A gopher tortoise at San Felasco Hammock Preserve state park in Gainesville, Florida, US. Gopher tortoises that are threatened by loss of habitat and development should be placed on the endangered species list in four southern states, environmental groups say

Photograph: AP

[the1beardedgent]

From the 2019 archives! A Gopher Tortoise! 😍

[geosesarma]

a shot from August I'm real proud of still. Gopherus polyphemus, aka "Big Steppy" aka "Everyone's favorite ecosystem engineer", the Gopher Tortoise

These big and humble guys are one of the southeast's most important critters, they dig burrows deep into scrub and flatwoods that serve as a retreat not only for tortoises but countless other animals, everything from rattlesnakes and indigo snakes to burrowing owls and small mammals to hundreds of invertebrates

Most importantly about their burrows: much of the southeast US is an intensely fire prone and fire adapted ecosystem, and their burrows allow for the tortoises and everything else in them to weather wildfires, these fires creating the exact plant communities the tortoises love to graze on

[bumblebeeappletree]

In the face of extreme habitat loss, wildlife biologist Dr. Chris Jenkins puts an ambitious plan in motion to save two uniquely American reptiles, the eastern indigo snake and the gopher tortoise, and the forest they call home.

The two threatened species are as important to their ecosystems as they are interconnected themselves. The eastern indigo snake is a prolific hunter that manages predator populations in the southeastern United States. In the northern part of its range, the snakes – along with more than 350 other species – rely on the deep burrows that the gopher tortoise creates to survive freezing temperatures every winter.

Both the indigo snakes and gopher tortoises are in steep decline, as their native habitat has been deforested for centuries and then further fragmented by roads with fast-moving vehicles. Dr. Chris Jenkins is part of a massive conservation effort that takes the reptiles’ homes into account. The team surveys the most critical tortoise land, purchases it, and then restores the native forests. From there, Dr. James Bogan, who leads the only eastern indigo breeding program in the world, can reintroduce new snakes to areas where they have previously gone extinct – with plenty of tortoise burrows to protect them.

[antiqueanimals]

Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Volume 6: Reptiles. Written by Bernard Grzimek. 1984. Illustration by Helmut Diller.

1.) Forest hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys erosa)

2.) Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni)

3.) Gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus)

4.) Radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) (prev. Testudo)

5.) Red-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonarius) (prev. Testudo)

6.) Russian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii)

7.) Pancake tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri)

8.) Leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis) (prev. Testudo)

[great-and-small]

It’s finally here! April 10th is the only day of the year completely dedicated to appreciating the superstars of southeastern scrub habitats- the gopher tortoises!

As I do every year, I will be using this day to share information, photos, and memes about our favorite charismatic tortoise species. Buckle up for a tortoise frenzy and please feel free to join me in celebrating with your own tortoise content!

Let’s get things started with a poll:

[thewhimsyturtle]

International Turtle and Tortoise Week, Day 6

🌎  Happy Earth Day, friends!  🌏

Several years ago, we discovered conservation illustrator Laurelin Sitterly, founder of Laurelin Rian Art!  Laurelin uses ink and liquid watercolors to create beautiful illustrations of plants and critters that are at risk or live in imperiled habitats, such as gopher tortoises and diamondback terrapins.  🎨���  Isn’t this the cutest punny terraPIN?  🐢😍

Best of all, Laurelin collaborates with scientists and conservation organizations to encourage ordinary people like all of us to make conservation-based behavior changes, no matter how small.  🌟  After all, we all share this beautiful planet for our home.  Helping threatened species like us shells means helping our planet, too!  Whether it’s remembering to recycle, using less plastic, or carpooling with friends, every change helps, no matter how small!  ♻️💚🌏

[faantasizee]

[caveundertree]

At the neighborhood park

[greyphitus]

mans likes his greens

[rachelsrandomsphotos]

Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus)

Taken at Turkey Creek Sanctuary in Palm Bay, FL