Description of a Gopher Tortoise

The gopher tortoise is a member of the testudinidae family, more commonly referred to as tortoises. Like all members of this family, the gopher tortoise is a slow-moving reptile that carries a heavy protective shell. All tortoises are also terrestrial, in contrast to their close aquatic relatives turtles, and they tend to inhabit areas with warm climates.

  1. Description

    • The gopher tortoise grows to between 7 and 10 inches in length and weighs around 16 lbs. It has a large domed shell which is brown to tan in color with a segmented appearance and yellowish underside. The tortoise has large front feet that are designed to help the animal dig --- which it does often, hence its common name. Its rear legs are smaller and elephantlike in appearance. Their skin is a gray-brown color and scaly.

    Habitat and Range

    • The gopher tortoise is native to the southeastern United States, from almost the southern tip of Florida north to South Carolina and west as far as Texas and Arkansas. The preferred habitats for the species are generally arid with loose sandy areas that are easy to dig into. Sand dunes and desert scrub make good habitats, but the tortoises also thrive in pine forests in warm-climate areas. The tortoise lives in burrows that it excavates itself and which can be almost 10 feet deep and 40 feet long.

    Diet and Predators

    • The gopher tortoise's diet is entirely vegetarian, including a wide range of low-lying grasses and shrubs. Berries and wild fruits are also a large part of the animal's diet. Feeding generally takes place in the early morning before the heat becomes too intense. The main predators of the tortoise include large snakes and carnivorous mammals. Raccoons and foxes feed on adults, while indigo snakes and red-tailed hawks feed on young tortoises.

    Life Cycle

    • The tortoises live a solitary lifestyle, coming together from April to July to breed. The mating process and courtship is little understood. The female lays between three to 15 eggs, sometimes in the sand mounds outside their burrows or in excavated holes in sunny areas. The temperature of the area in which the eggs are laid determines how fast they hatch, but it generally takes between 80 and 100 days. The parent shows no further care for the young past egg laying. Gopher tortoises can live for a long time, generally up to 50 or 60 years, but because of predators, 16 to 21 years is the average.