Gopher Tortoise Day is April 10th!

The Gopher Tortoise Day shell-ebration is just two short months away!

 

April 10^th was proclaimed as Gopher Tortoise Day by the Gopher Tortoise Council to raise awareness for this gentle, hard-shelled reptile. Save the date to give one of Florida’s most cherished chelonians its day in the sun.  

You can participate by having your local government adopt a resolution declaring April 10^th as Gopher Tortoise Day, getting involved in your community, or by learning more about this important keystone species.

 

There are many reasons why the gopher tortoise deserves its own day of recognition:

• Gopher tortoises have occupied the Southeastern U.S. for thousands of years and live upwards of 60 years in the wild! The oldest living captive gopher tortoise, Gus, just celebrated his 97^th birthday at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History.
  
  
• Gopher tortoises make tort-ally awesome burrows averaging 8 feet deep and 15 feet long that provide shelter for more than 350 other species. These species, known as "commensals" include the Eastern indigo snake, Florida mouse, gopher frog, a multitude of insects, and many more that may not exist without the burrows they call home. This makes the gentle gopher tortoise a keystone species and a vital piece of the Florida ecosystem.
  
  
• The gopher tortoise is the official state tortoise of Florida. They are found in sections of all 67 Florida counties, and can be observed in neighborhoods, parks, natural areas, and even roadside rights-of-way.
  
  
• They are classified as Threatened in Florida, primarily as a result of habitat loss from land development. Other causes for decline of the species include habitat fragmentation and degradation, vehicle collisions, disease, and attacks from domestic dogs. Help reduce impacts to gopher tortoises by notifying your community about the importance of the species, and effective conservation practices. Contact your city or county commissioners to propose adopting a Gopher Tortoise Day resolution in your community.

Visit the Gopher Tortoise Day website to learn more about Florida's favorite tortoise and how to get involved on April 10^th. The website has information to help you help gopher tortoises, including: a sample resolution, educational materials and activities, how to host a Gopher Tortoise Day event, and how to spread awareness through social media platforms. Show your appreciation for the gopher tortoise by declaring April 10^th as Gopher Tortoise Day!

If you have any questions about Gopher Tortoise Day, please contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Gopher Tortoise Day Coordinator at GTevents@MyFWC.com or call (850) 921-1025.

Stay tuned because more information about Gopher Tortoise Day will be coming your way soon!