Gopher Tortoise: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Turtles · day 6 of 7

Five facts

1. Gopher tortoises spend up to 80% of their time in burrows, which can stretch up to 15 m long.
2. 60 kinds of animals with backbones and 300 without share gopher tortoise burrows, many of them rare.
3. Gopher tortoises mostly get their water from their food. They drink from puddles only in times of extreme drought.
4. Nest temperature decides the sex of baby gopher tortoises. Over 30 °C gives females, below 30 °C gives males.
5. Gopher tortoises also eat mushrooms and fruits such as pawpaw and blackberries.

The quiz

1. How much of their time do gopher tortoises spend in burrows?

• Up to 10%
• Up to 30%
• Up to 80% (correct)
• Always 100%

They spend up to 80% of their time in burrows up to 15 m long.

2. How many vertebrate species use the burrows?

• 60 (correct)
• 6
• 600
• 16

Their burrows host 60 vertebrate and 300 invertebrate species.

3. When do gopher tortoises usually drink standing water?

• Every morning
• After every rain
• Never
• In extreme drought (correct)

They mostly get water from food and drink standing water only in extreme drought.

4. What do nests warmer than 30 °C produce?

• Males
• Females (correct)
• An equal mix
• No hatchlings

Nest temperature decides the sex of baby gopher tortoises. Over 30 °C gives females, below 30 °C gives males.

5. Which of these do gopher tortoises eat?

• Coconuts
• Bananas
• Blackberries (correct)
• Mangoes

Gopher tortoises also eat mushrooms and fruits such as pawpaw and blackberries.

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