Gopher tortoises are one of the world's oldest living species, belonging to a group of land tortoises that evolved in North America 60 million years ago. But by 2100, a study has found, they could be nearly extinct without meaningful intervention. The study reveals that the Fish and Wildlife Service used a flawed population model to deny tortoises federal protection in 2022. Now we’re in court to reverse that denial, but we need your help to make sure the agency follows the science. Tell the Ser

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

To celebrate #WildTurtleWeek, take a moment to appreciate this important ecosystem engineer: the gopher tortoise! More than 350 different species have been documented using the burrows that gopher tortoises create. As you can see in this video, these range from mammals, like the imperiled Florida mouse, to amphibians, like the secretive gopher frog! Hundreds of invertebrates also use the burrows, and some species cannot persist without them. To help support gopher tortoise conservation, FWC rese

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

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