F. Wayne King photo.
Gopher Tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus
Gopher tortoises are one of the most abundant reptiles in Fort Matanzas National Monument. Gophers and gopher burrows can be found in all the open dry habitats, dunes, dunes meadows, and areas between patches of forest. Gophers feed on grasses, herbs, green brier, and cactus pads. Their flattened frontlimbs are used in digging a burrow up to 30 feet (9.14 m) long in the sandy soil.
F. Wayne King photo.
A gopher tortoise next to its burrow.
The burrows, which end in an enlarged chamber, provide a secure shelter and stable environment not only for the gopher, but also for a large group of other animals, including the eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, indigo snakes, coachwhips, six-lined racerunners, mice, and several dozen species of insects, spiders and crustaceans. Because it provides secure habitat for so many other species, in the State of Florida the gopher tortoise is classified as a 'Species of Special Concern'. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists gopher tortoises as a 'Threatened Species'. Although gopher tortoises are not an aquatic species, they occasionally are found floating in the Matanzas River and Intracoastal Waterway, possibly having been caught in a rising tide while walking along the water's edge. Nevertheless, this may explain how gopher tortoises make their way to so many coastal islands.
