Georgia gopher tortoise
| Georgia gopher tortoise | ||||||||||||
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Georgia gopher tortoise |
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| Gopherus polyphemus | ||||||||||||
| ( Daudin , 1802) |
The gopher tortoise ( Gopherus polyphemus ) is a turtle from the family of tortoises belonging to the gopher tortoise belongs. It is found on the coastal plains in the eastern United States.
Appearance
The Georgia gopher tortoise is a medium-sized species of tortoise. Adult animals have a carapace of up to 25 centimeters and weigh about four kilograms. Their back armor is chocolate brown, gray or black. The belly armor is usually a light horn or ocher color. Young animals are characterized by their lighter shell color. Males differ from females by their concave carapace and longer tail.
Distribution area, habitat and way of life
The Georgia gopher tortoise is most commonly found in the state of Florida . Their distribution area extends to the states of Georgia , Alabama and Mississippi . They are also found in the extreme southeast of South Carolina . It is particularly common in swamp pine forests .
Like all other gopher tortoises, the Georgia gopher tortoise digs burrows that are very long and deep. They spend most of the day in them. The caves are found in sandy hills, alluvial land, dunes and prairie. Outside of the breeding season, Georgia gopher tortoises are solitary animals that each inhabit a relatively small area. They dig several caves within this area.
Way of life
The Georgia gopher tortoise is a herbivore. Most of their diet consists of grass. But they also eat berries, fruits and occasionally carrion. The Georgia gopher tortoise mating season falls in April and May. The females lay between three and 15 eggs. The nesting pit is usually located near one of their burrows. The time between egg laying and hatching time of the young animals depends on the ambient temperature. The young turtles usually hatch after 70 to 100 days. They reach sexual maturity between the ages of 10 and 15.
Duration
The Georgia gopher tortoise is an endangered species in the United States. One of the causes of the decline is, among other things, the loss of swamp pine forests, which are often cut down and planted with incense pines . The transformation of their habitat into human settlements, pasture land and agricultural areas has also contributed to the fact that it only occurs in parts of its original range. There is also a catch for the animal trade and as food. In view of the old age at which the animals only reach sexual maturity and the low rate of reproduction, the removal of adult animals represents a significant interference with the reproductive capacity of a population. The introduced fire ants , which mainly damage young animals, are another threat .
proof
- Enchanted Forest Nature Sanctuary: Gopher Tortoise
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory: Gopher Tortoise Fact Sheet
- US Fish & Wildlife Service. Threatened and Endangered Species System (TESS) .
Web links
- Gopherus polyphemus in The Reptile Database
- Gopherus polyphemus inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, 1996. Retrieved December 14, 2013.