It’s Gopher Tortoise Day in Florida! 🐢 You can find gopher tortoises at many of our parks and nature preserves, munching on grasses and other plants along hiking trails. Fun fact: gopher tortoises dig underground burrows that are used for protection by dozens of other wildlife species. Have you seen a gopher tortoise before? Video: Jason Boeckman | Visit Fort Myers

April 10th is Gopher Tortoise Day! The Gopher Tortoise is considered a threatened species and is protected under state law in Florida. They descended from a land tortoise that lived in North America 60 million years ago, making them one of the oldest living species in North America! Gopher tortoises are a keystone species, making them important for their environments. Their burrows help provide shelter for over 350 other species. The animals that benefit from their burrows are called Gopher Tort

2x a day we graze the gopher tortoise patients as part of their rehab treatment plan. This gives them sun time, fresh air, movement and time to graze in the wild, preparing them for release day! Live near Naples, FL? Become a volunteer here and graze with us! 🐢 | Conservancy of Southwest Florida