Gopher Tortoise Quiz

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Key Vocabulary

Tortoise: a turtle, typically an herbivorous one that lives on land.

Keystone species: a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically

Burrow: a hole or tunnel dug by an animal as a dwelling/home.

Commensal species: a species that benefits from another species by obtaining locomotion, shelter, food, or support from the host species, which neither benefits nor is harmed.

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Gopher tortoises make their burrows _________.

in coastal dune ecosystems.

in the forest.

in riverbanks.

on the beach.

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Gopher tortoises make their burrows in coastal dune ecosystems!They are found in dry, sandy uplands, such as the coastal dunes that are found in Florida.

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Do gopher tortoises live in the ocean?

YESNO

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No! Gopher tortoises are a species that only lives on land.Photo: Krista Schlyer

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Which of the following are true of gopher tortoises?select all that apply

They are found in dry, sand uplands.

Their burrows can be as short as 6-10 feet long, but they average around 30 feet long.

Gopher Tortoises areknown as both a keystone species and a commensal species due tothe burrows that they dig in their habitats.

The gopher tortoise lives entirely underground.

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Gopher tortoises are found in dry, sand uplands, such as the coastal dunes that are found in Florida. Gopher Tortoises are known as both a keystone species and a commensal species due to the burrows that they dig in their habitats. It is estimated that over 350 species benefit from the shelter and food that the gopher tortoise burrows provide. These burrows can be a short as 6-10 feet long, but they average around 30 feet long. Without these burrows, animals like snakes, rabbits, mice, insects and more would not have shelter or food!Image: gopher tortoise hatchling

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In Florida, gopher tortoises are a threatened species protected by state law.

TRUEFALSE

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True! In Florida, the gopher tortoise is listed as Threatened. Both the tortoise and its burrow are protected under state law. Gopher tortoises must be relocated before any land clearing or development takes place, and property owners must obtain permits from the FWC before capturing and relocating tortoises. Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/myfwc/5033625253/in/album-72157624901465687/

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