Found a gopher tort!

[Leo-Land]

I saw this guy walking around in my back yard today and figured I'd snap a few off.. Note: I didn't catch it, so please don't lecture me on how it is illegal to mess with them. Enjoy!

http://www.leo-land.net/gopher.jpg

http://www.leo-land.net/gopher2.jpg

http://www.leo-land.net/gopher3.jpg

http://www.leo-land.net/gopher4.jpg

http://www.leo-land.net/gopher5.jpg

The smart guy that used the camera before me touched all over the lense, so you see a white blur in the pics.

I hope you liked!

[JD@reptiles]

Thats Awsome. i envy you Leo-land. i wish i lived in florida!

[red bootz]

As much as I love them, I've never seen a tortoise in the wild.You are very lucky!

[crimsonking]

They need much more protection than they currently have I believe. They are the most important herp we have here in that they provide shelter and other necessities for 100's of other animals. Included are indigo snakes, gopher frogs, diamondback rattlesnakes etc., etc. The "incidental take" license (read licence to kill) allows developers to "buy" the right to kill these magnificent creatures (and surely others dependent on them). It cannot be over-stated their importance to a healthy Florida ecology. Years ago, before they were in peril, they were everywhere, and even sold as food. Here's a pic of some babies my pairs produced many,many moons ago. (lousy polaroid) Get involved with the Gopher Tortoise Council and you can help them out too.
:Mark

[sparkon16]

they are such cute and amazing torts!!! nice pics man!!!

[eyespy]

It's wonderful to see a lovely wild gopher going about its business. Thanks for the pics!

[Tim and Julie B]

I absolutely love Gopher tortoises! Thanks for the pics. I also agree that they need way more protection. I saw a National Geographic special with a segment on them. I can not believe how un protected they are in most of their range. They moved a whole colony to a fenced in area to build a high way. I forget which state. Just stupid, make a state park or something but don't fence them in. It amazes me that we are not allowed to keep these magnificent tortoises but they are doing little to protect their existence on this earth. The same can be said for the New England spotted turtle and quite a few others. I can only hope they realise how much time they have wasted already and make some laws to protect them.