527 reactions · 56 shares | It’s Gopher Tortoise Day in Florida!  You can find gopher tortoises at many of our parks and nature preserves, munching on grasses and other plants along hiking trails. Fun fact: gopher tortoises dig underground burrows that are used for protection by dozens of other wildlife species. Have you seen a gopher tortoise before? Video: Jason Boeckman | Visit Fort Myers | Facebook

4.9K views · 68 reactions | How You Can Protect Our Gopher Tortoises - These gentle creatures play a crucial role in our ecosystem. Learn why preserving their habitat is essential and how you can help ensure their survival. Learn more about how to protect them and the state protections: https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/gopher-tortoise/#:~:text=In%20Florida%2C%20the%20gopher%20tortoise,before%20capturing%20and%20relocating%20tortoises. | City of Dunedin Florida - Government | Facebook

2.5K views · 285 reactions | Our gopher tortoise enjoys a daily walk, especially when he comes across a good patch of clover like this. After a while, he took a break from the clover buffet to relax in a warm, sunny spot! Reptiles need sunlight to produce vitamin D3 so they can properly absorb calcium. Video Credit: Sarah Buffington | Mississippi Museum of Natural Science | Facebook

Happy Turtle Tuesday! 🐢 This week's species spotlight is the Gopher Tortoise. The Gopher Tortoise is considered a keystone species here in South Florida! This means that they are extremely important for the overall structure of their ecosystems. Due to habitat loss, these amazing creatures have unfortunately become a state-designated threatened species! Gopher tortoises are primarily herbivorous, meaning that their diet is predominantly plant based. Some of their all-time favorite foods are gra

4.2K views · 150 reactions | Join us for a Day in the Life of a Gopher Tortoise for Florida Gopher Tortoise Day! Gopher tortoises are a keystone species whose burrows provide important habitats for over 350 commensal species like indigo snakes, burrowing owls, etc. This is why protecting gopher tortoises & their habitat is so essential. | Defenders of Wildlife | Facebook

Gopher tortoises are ecosystem engineers whose burrows support a beautiful web of life. This is just another example of how much we need biodiversity. To learn more about biodiversity and what you can do to help, click here: �� Video Credits: Odyssey Earth, Brento Lapento, Lorenzo Phrazaphath, James Sullivan, Nathan Yoder, Mississippi Army National Guard, 102d Public Affairs Detachment, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission | The Nature Conservancy