2 tortoise day....

[KAGDR]

I saw my first Gopher Tortoise on my property today. He saw me walking and he ran as fast as he could to slide down his tunnel....I have 7 or 8 tortoise dens on my property,most seem abandoned...I knew his was still being used because I can see sand had been thrown out and the slide marks going down. I have 20 acres and love walking thru it to see wildlife....I've been here since September and it was my first tortoise sighting...I'm sorry ,it was so exciting. I set up a wild life camera that has a motion detector,hope to get pictures...Hes pretty good size,at least a foot long,and he surprised me how fast he could run.... Then when I ran into Cedar Key The on coming traffic was flashing lights and a car was on the side...a gopher tortoise was crossing and a guy stopped ,grabbed him and moved him 30 feet off the road.....I was so happy no one had hit him...so that was my 2 tortoise day....

 

[Yvonne G]

Love it!

 

[Maro2Bear]

Very cool!

We spotted a few during our last Florida trip over near Flaggler Beach. Fast, yes. It was hard to get a good pix.

Lucky you...all on your own property - ENVY - enjoy!

 

[Melis]

Looking forward to seeing any pics you get!

 

[wellington]

That's cool. I'd be very excited too.

 

[Chasen]

Always a thrill to see wild torts.

 

[Big Charlie]

How exciting! We've gone out to the desert tortoise natural area in California but almost never see any. Only saw one once in the mouth of the burrow.

 

[TriciaStringer]

Sounds like a fantastic day!

 

[Chasen]

I've seen them in the wild 3 times in the desert and there is a population in a park in the middle of Ft Lauderdale. The FtL group are wild torts, but somehow it feels less "wilderness". Here are pics of my "trail partner" at one of my regular hiking spots in Ca.

 

[KAGDR]

What kind are they...just desert tortoise? What do they eat?

 

[Chasen]

What kind are they...just desert tortoise? What do they eat?

Are you referring to the pics I posted? If so, it's only one tort and yes, Desert species Gopherus agassizii. In the wild they are eating a variety of annual wildflowers, grasses and cactus.

 

[KAGDR]

Are they different from the Florida native tortoise? Or same but have evolved to survive in a different habitat?

 

[Chasen]

Are they different from the Florida native tortoise? Or same but have evolved to survive in a different habitat?

They are different sub species. But yes, evolved differently for different habitats. http://www.tortoise-tracks.org/wptortoisetracks/