Wildlife Sign: Gopher Tortoise Burrow
Wildlife Sign: Gopher Tortoise Burrow
Wildlife Sign: Gopher Tortoise Burrow, Barrier Island Center, Melbourne Beach, Florida.
Nature Photography by Pam & Richard
Wildlife Sign: Gopher Tortoise Burrow
Wildlife Sign: Gopher Tortoise Burrow, Barrier Island Center, Melbourne Beach, Florida.
naturetime 
We saw one at Amelia Island at the Omni Resort.
What a lucky sighting! Gopher tortoises can live a long time. They are really special.
Where can I get the poster sign?
I read that some Florida State Parks stores and online have the poster, so maybe you could get it when things reopen.
If the world did not have gopher tortoises, there would not be a lot of other species because the tortoise digs the burrow and 360 other species live in the same burrow.
Yes gopher tortoises are very important, and their burrows provide homes to a whole little world of species. Thank you so much for appreciating them!
I have a gopher tortoise presently digging a burrow under my house. Started digging the hole in grass abutting my home. Now it continues, but is now burrowing under slab of my home. Very interesting. Anything I should or shouldn’t do? I live in Port Charlotte, FL.
Glad you could visit my site! First I would ask if you are sure it is a gopher tortoise hole and not an armadillo burrow? That is a little more likely. But if you have seen the gopher tortoise enter the hole, some very good information is at this link and copied below: http://www.nbbd.com/gophertortoise/2013/
“Gopher tortoises are listed as Threatened by the State of Florida and are a candidate for federal listing, so yes, they are protected. In order to relocate the tortoise, you would need a permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; you can apply for one on-line. If the permit application was approved, they would not be responsible for moving the tortoise. You would have to hire someone to do that and find a qualified place to take it.
Over many years, I regularly get people asking me if a tortoise burrow near their home or shed or pool, etc., will cause problems. I have never heard of anyone experiencing problems. Sidewalks and edges of roads can erode if the opening of the burrow is directly underneath them, but that doesn’t sound like your situation. The only “structure” that I know of that was impacted was an above-ground pool. The burrow was at the edge of the base of the pool and extended under it. They had bunches of rain, the burrow collapsed, and the pool fell over. Big mess.
All that being said, I suggest that you just let it be. Enjoy! You are lucky, really!”
I have at least one active gopher tortoise on my 3 acres of land in Middleburg, Clay County, Florida, and there are other burrows as well, but not sure if they’re all active, but at least one is for sure because I saw the gopher tortoise in and out of the burrow.
That is so exciting! We are in Palm Bay, Brevard County, Florida. We don’t have any active gopher tortoises on our property now, but have in the past. Gopher tortoises actually may have more than one burrow and change it up now and then, so all of yours may be in use on occasion. They are amazing animals and live a very long time. So cool!