Creature of the day: The Gopher Tortoise 🐢🐢 The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species is native to the southeastern United States. The gopher tortoise is seen as a keystone species because it digs burrows that provide shelter for at least 360 other animal species. G. polyphemus is threatened by predation and habitat destruction. Gopher tortoises are herbivore scavengers and opportunistic grazers. Thus, their diets contains over 3

2.1K views · 14K reactions | Running into the week like… On July 1,...

4.2K views · 150 reactions | 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 | Facebook

2.5K views · 285 reactions | Our gopher tortoise enjoys a daily walk, especially when he comes across a good patch of clover like this. After a while, he took a break from the clover buffet to relax in a warm, sunny spot! Reptiles need sunlight to produce vitamin D3 so they can properly absorb calcium. Video Credit: Sarah Buffington | Mississippi Museum of Natural Science | Facebook

Hard at work providing habitat support for hundreds of other species! No wonder the GOPHER TORTOISE gets its own day! 🐢🎈 IT'S GOPHER TORTOISE DAY!! 🐢🎈 A day to celebrate and recognize this unique keystone species and its Alabama habitats. Click here to learn more about the GOPHER TORTOISE: https://www.outdooralabama.com/turtles/gopher-tortoise | Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division