One of my favorite animals that I meet in the Florida sandhills is the gopher tortoise. They are one of five types of native tortoises found in the United States, and the only one found on the east coast. One of the reasons I like them so much is that they are harmless animals that go about their business without bothering any one or anything. They are vegetarians, and eat grasses, shrubs, and leaves. They build and live in burrows, which also provide shelter to many other types of wildlife, including snakes (so it’s NOT a good idea to put your hand down into a burrow!).

Gopher tortoises are considered a threatened species, and should be left alone whenever possible. They have very few natural predators once they are beyond the hatchling stage because they’re well protected by their shells, and can pull their heads and legs up into them.

They also tend to hiss and spit and will even spew watery poop if they feel threatened. So the biggest threat to them is people (surprise, surprise). Over the years I have seen them hit by cars, attacked by dogs, fall into swimming pools, caught in plastic bags, and I once even caught a person (thinking they were helping the animal) getting ready to throw one in a river!

The tortoise in these photos was a good sized male that I found crossing a fairly busy road that I take back and forth to work every day. These guys aren’t speedy, so they get hit frequently. When I see one I always try to stop, if I can do it safely, and move it off the road. This one was not the least bit afraid of me, so he didn’t mind a short photo session as he was going on his way. Please don’t harass them, though. If at all possible let these wonderful creatures go about their business and just enjoy their presence!