GOPHER TORTOISE
Gopherus polyphemus
South Carolina State Park Service
Class: Reptile
Family: Tortoise
Size: weight = 8-15 lbs. length = 10-12 inches
Habitat: sandhills
Diet: herbivorous; feeding mostly on grasses and plants
Life Span: 40-60 years in the wild
Tortoise Talk:
Gopher tortoises are listed as endangered in South Carolina.
Gopher tortoises are the only species of tortoise found in eastern North America.
An accomplished burrower, adult gopher tortoises can excavate a burrow that be anywhere from 10 to 30 feet in length!