Gopher Tortoises

A keystone species, gopher tortoises play an incredibly important role in the forest: more than 300 other species seek shelter in their burrows. They prefer dry, sandy soils and enjoy the vegetation that naturally grows among the trees in our Southeast forests, including wiregrass, prickly pear and various berries. Our foresters mark, protect and build their planting and harvest plans around gopher tortoise burrows. The gopher tortoise is federally listed as a threatened species in some parts of the U.S.