Gopher tortoises, gopherus polyphemus, are a very small species. They measure only 4 to 10 inches (10 to 25 centimeters) in length. They are still relatively heavy however, weighing in at around 29 pounds. Males and females are distinguished by the shape of their plastron (underside of the shell). Males have a concave-shaped plastron, meaning that it curves, as opposed to females who have completely flat plastrons. Gopher tortoise males are also distinguishable from females by their tails, in which males have the longer tails. Both genders are grayish brown in skin color, with the upper part of their shells being light to dark-brown and their plastrons being a dull yellow.
Gopher tortoises can be found only in areas of the southeastern United States such as Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, S. Carolina and Louisiana. They prefer to inhabit dry landscapes like sand dunes and sandy ridges, as well as longleaf pine forests. As their name suggests, gopher tortoises are famous for digging out large burrows to live in. Their front legs are shovel-like in appearance, making them ideal for digging out their homes with ease. These burrows are not only used by gopher tortoises however, they may also be home to creatures as diverse as snakes, frogs, burrowing owls, armadillos, rabbits and opossums, just to name a few. These other creatures will either share the burrow with the gopher tortoises, or move in after they have been abandoned.
The diet of gopher tortoises consists of grasses, pines, leaves, fruits and peas among other things. They have rarely been seen drinking from standing water, such as lakes and the like. Instead, Gopher tortoises get the majority of their water from the food that they eat. They will also get water by using their front legs to dam up rainwater that runs down into their burrow during the rain.
Breeding season for gopher tortoises takes place from April all the way through June. Males will try to attract females by making short, rasping calls and may even fight with the female, which is apparently a part of the courtship process, before mating occurs. After a gestation period of 80 to 100 days, females will lay anywhere from 1 to 25 eggs in holes dug into the ground (in batches of 5 or 6). The young turtles will hatch from the eggs about 100 days after being lain in the ground, and must dig their way out of the sand themselves. The hatchlings are protected by their parents, although many are still killed by predators. If the young gopher tortoises can survive long enough, then they can live to be up to 60 years.
Gopher tortoises are an endangered species. Their greatest threat is loss of their natural habitat, but disease and road mortality are also playing a part in their decline. They used to be hunted for their meat, but now they are mainly hunted to be sold as pets. This does not hurt them directly, but domestic gopher tortoises cannot reproduce, which puts a great strain on the repopulation of their species. Hopefully, gopher tortoises can overcome their obstacles and start to rebound from their losses. After all, such a unique species of tortoise deserves to live and prosper far into the future.
Works Cited
“Gopher Tortoise Facts” 3 March 2011
“Gopher Tortoise” 3 March 2011
“Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus)” 3 March 2011
