Need identification

[Danceswlabs]

Hello, I am located in central NC. My father found a tortoise today, and we are trying to identify it. I was hoping someone here could help. Below are photos (That is, if I can figure out how to post them!).

Thank you. I am looking forward to learning more about tortoises.
Jeany

 

[tortadise]

Welcome! They aren't showing up for me.

 

[Danceswlabs]

Ack! Sorry.....how is this?

 

[Oogway]

welcome, and photos not working here either

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum...

 

[Jacqui]

How are you trying to do the pictures? I know when I try, it sends me to Gmail.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[rachael]

Hey I think your img tags are messed up!

 

[Danceswlabs]

I am so sorry......this must be "one of those days" for me! Trying again with link to the pics on facebook.

 

[Tom]

The plastron shot is up, but the other one isn't. Have you tried tinypic.com ? Very easy. No accounts or anything. Just upload any size photo and then copy/paste the IMG code into your forum post.

 

[ascott]

Well, there are no native "tortoise" to North Carolina...so this will be fun to peek at the top, so to speak. The bottom sure does look healthy and the chunky dunk legs are great too...wonder if he is a lost tort to someone in the area? Have you checked craigslist/ or placed an ad showing you found a "tortoise" and leave it at that to make sure folks calling have to positively id that beauty...I have a preliminary guess ( ) but not sharing till I see the top to confirm my guess....how fun.

 

[Danceswlabs]

Sigh.....well at least I got the one to show up. Here's trying the other one.

 

[TORTOISEMAN1]

Welcome!

 

[ascott]

Can we see a pic of his face / profile

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Jeany:

It sure looks like it might be an older Greek tortoise. I'll send the link for this thread to one of our more knowledgeable of the Mediterranean species members.

 

[JoesMum]

It does look like a Testudo of some sort.

What we need is a good clear (larger) shot of the plastron including the tail and a head shot where we can see the scutes immediately above the head as well.

Does the tort have any spurs (horny spikes) on its back legs?

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

That looks like one old tortoise. The pics are pretty small and it looks like the shell has been worn down a lot. If you could use tinypic and get more close up pics then we might be able to tell what it is.

 

[jeffbens0n]

It almost looks like a gopher tortoise. Not native to NC but its possible someone could have moved one from Florida illegally.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

It almost looks like a gopher tortoise. Not native to NC but its possible someone could have moved one from Florida illegally.

Agreed. I also think it's a gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). Their native range includes parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina:

North Carolina is technically not part of their native range. However, someone may have brought this individual north. It's also not outside the realm of possibility that this species could expand its range due to global climate change ... however, considering how development is threatening them in their current range, I rather doubt it. Probably just a transplant. Neat find.

 

[GBtortoises]

It's a Gopher tortoise. Most likely removed from within it's range by someone and either let go or escaped.