Today, April 10, is Gopher Tortoise Day as adopted by the Gopher Tortoise Counsel. Gopher tortoises are the only native tortoises in the eastern United States, and they are a very important keystone species. Gopher tortoises dig burrows that not only provide shelter for themselves and their hatchlings, but also shelter over three hundred other species including the endangered Eastern indigo snake, gopher frogs, the Florida mouse, the Eastern diamondback rattlesnake (don’t ever put your hands down into a burrow!), the pine snake, and many types of crickets, moths, beetles, and flies. Some of these animals are totally dependent on the availability of tortoise burrows while others use them only part of the time.

Gopher Tortoise Day was developed to help bring awareness to these beautiful, gentle reptiles and their importance to the southeastern environment. In honor of Gopher Tortoise Day, here are a few photographs of one of my favorite Florida wildlife species! I hope all of you will take a few minutes to appreciate these wonderful animals.