Gopherus Polyphemus

This spring i had the opportunity to surf Ponce Inlet, in Central Florida. The waves were good but i also saw something interesting while walking back to the car. The inlet is adjacent to Smyrna Dunes Park, which is a protected area of grassy sand dunes. About 200 yards from the ocean i spotted a Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) basking in the sun next to its burrow. This one was about a foot long, well into adulthood. It was so still i thought it was fake until i noticed its breathing. Gopher tortoises are found mainly in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama with smaller ranges in South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana. Gopher Tortoises prefer an environment with sandy, well drained soil. They dig burrows up to 20 feet long and 8 feet deep to avoid predation and for thermoregulatory purposes. They are herbivorous, feeding on many different types of leaves, moss, and berries. They are territorial and solitary maintaining a number of burrows in their individual range. Individuals reach maturity at about 15 years of age at a size of 9 inches long. Mating season lasts from April to November and females lay a clutch of eggs underground for incubation. Eggs hatch in about three months. They are considered a keystone species because their burrows provide habitat for many different species of animals. They are facing a serious threat of habitat loss in much of their range.