Gopher tortoise
Gopherus polyphemus
Photo credit: Peter May
Many gopher tortoises are found in north central Florida, but they can also be found in all other parts of the state (except for the southern tip).
The gopher tortoise creates burrows in the ground - providing homes for themselves and a variety of other animals. The gopher tortoise prefers dry habitats such as longleaf pine, scrub oak sandhills, oak hammocks, sand pine scrub, wiregrass flatwoods, dry prairies, and coastal dunes. The gopher tortoise population is declining, and the species is listed as threatened in Florida.