Gopher Tortoise Research Paper

The gopher tortoise is a large dark-brown to grayish-black terrestrial turtle with elephantine hind feet, shovel-like forefeet. The adult shell ranges in size of 5.9 to 14.6 inches long. It has a gular projection beneath the head on its yellowish, hinge less plastron or undershell. In comparison to females, males are generally smaller; with a larger gland under the chin, a longer gular projection, and more concave plastron. The gopher tortoise is seen as an important species in the ecological environment where it is found because it digs burrows that provide shelter for at least 360 other animal species. The class of the gopher tortoise is Reptilian, the order is Testudines, the family is Testudinidae, the genus is Gopherus and the species is G. Polyphemus.
The gopher tortoise belongs to a group of land tortoises that originated in western North America nearly 60 million years ago. At least 23 species of tortoise are known to have existed on our continent since that time, but only five remain today. Four of the living species, the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri), Bolson tortoise (Gopherus flavomarginatus), and …show more content…
Because of disparities in the type of data collected, methodologies in collecting data, and differences in the scope of studies, it is not possible to simply combine datasets to evaluate the status of the gopher tortoise. Currently, the gopher tortoise is more widespread and abundant in parts of the eastern portion of its range, in particular southern Georgia and central and northern Florida, which are known as the “central” portion of the tortoise’s geographic extent. The current estimates of gopher tortoise populations include: approximately 785,000 in Florida, 250,000 in Georgia, 30,000 to 130,000 in Alabama and 400-500 in South Carolina. Those are the only places they are found in the