The Glorious Gopher Tortoise

Living in Florida, it’s hard not to notice gopher tortoises. They range nearly the entire state and hang out in all the neighborhoods, parks, and preserves that we do. They amble along foraging on grasses and low growing plants, seeming to not worry too much about trying to make it anywhere anytime fast.

They’re protected, and as a threatened species messing with them can garner some hefty fines. But why? What makes them so special?

Gopher Tortoises often bask in their burrow entrance.

The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is a “Keystone Species,” or an animal that other animals, plants, and life around it needs to survive because of its impact on the environment. When a beaver dams a river, it provides more opportunities for food and habitat for other animals in the same ecosystem, and removing beavers from that ecosystem will have a severe negative impact on all species. Similarly, the gopher tortoise and the numerous large burrows they dig provide permanent homes, temporary shelter, and food sources for over 300 other species in their ecosystem. Imagine 300 other people living under your roof!

A Gopher Tortoise in a scrub habitat.

A gopher tortoise burrow is anywhere from 10 to 40 feet long, six to 10 feet deep, and tortoises can have multiple burrow sites. Because of the need to dig these burrows, tortoises prefer dry, sandy soil for the best digging and low lying forage for the best eating. Due to their preferred habitat being upland environments, they’re also in need of periodic fire in the ecosystem to survive. When forage grows without the regulation of fire, the tortoises will no longer have preferred food sources and the dense vegetation will create too much shade, no longer giving the tortoise a chance to thermoregulate in the sun.

Gopher Tortoise burrows offer shelter from fire for them and other animals. 

Many of the animals that share a burrow long-term with the gopher tortoise evolved to live there and provide services in return for the housing. Certain insects like the gopher tortoise copris beetle (Copris gopheri) clean up tortoise dung, and others like the gopher tortoise rove beetle (Philonthus gopheri) keep pests away. These are what’s known as mutualistic relationships, where both species help each other’s survival.

Other species may also use the burrow as a long-term home but stay out of the way of the tortoise. The Florida mouse (Podomys floridanus) digs off of the main burrow, giving itself a place to stay in little chambers and tunnels. They’ll live and nest in these sites, protected from the elements and birds outside... but they won’t be protected from all predators.

Snakes including the Eastern indigo (Drymarchon couperi), Florida pine (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus), and Eastern diamondback (Crotalus adamanteus) use gopher tortoise burrows temporarily as shelter from fire, refuge from cold winter weather, or an escape from their own predators. These snakes also take the opportunity to use the burrow as a food source, where those Florida mice, gopher frogs (Lithobates capito), and even hatchling gopher tortoises are on the menu.

Burrows are not used permanently by gopher tortoises. They can have several to move between and may even abandon some if they seem unsafe. This leaves burrows open for use by the aforementioned species and many others. For example, rabbits, Eastern spotted skunks (Spilogale Putorius), and other small mammals use the burrows as nesting sites for their young. 

We've barely scratched the surface of the impacts gopher tortoises have on their environment and you can already see why they're so important for us to protect. If you'd like to learn more about the gopher tortoise and ways to help them, including making your yard a gopher tortoise friendly site or planting gopher tortoise friendly plants, check out the FWC website.  

Gopher tortoises can be found in many of our Conservation Parks and Nature Preserves. Watch for them in the warmest parts of the day, like the early afternoon, and be sure to learn from the tortoise and take it slow when driving!