Gopher Tortoises
Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ in a Minute
Episode Archive
Episode #143 | Original Air Date: September 16, 2020
Related Resources
Transcript
Although gopher tortoises have been around for millions of years and can live for more than 80, they are now threatened in Florida because their native habitats keep disappearing beneath ongoing human development.
Gopher tortoises and their burrows are protected under state law and they are a keystone species, playing an important role in many Florida ecosystems.
For instance, tortoises dig long deep burrows that they share with more than 350 other species including indigo snakes, foxes, and burrowing owls.
Preserving connected landscapes is a fundamental way to help ensure that gopher tortoises continue to amble across Florida for millennia to come.
Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ in a Minute is a production of the University of Florida’s Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program, IFAS Extension, and WUFT-FM in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
