A rescued gopher tortoise arrived at the Nokuse Nature Preserve in Florida’s Panhandle while my sister Erica and I were there. It didn’t know how lucky it was. Across Florida, builders are required to ...

A gopher tortoise emerges from its burrow. In the Depression they saved starving Floridians but now they're the ones that need saving. (Photo via Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.) ...

TCPalm environment reporter Timothy O'Hara heard about a proposed Indian River County housing development that could wipe out an unprecedented number of gopher tortoise burrows. Beyond compiling ...

Once fully trained, Echo will be the first dog in the United States that sniffs out gopher tortoises, according to Jones and Kristine Hoffmann, a wildlife biologist and conservation dog handler from ...

Slow and steady wins the race, but unhurried preservation measures could lead to the Florida gopher tortoises’ demise. “They are these incredible ecosystem engineers,” said Elise Bennett, Florida and ...

Boasting more than 80 distinct ecosystems, Florida is a biodiversity hot spot. In fact, more than 4,000 animal species are native to the Sunshine State. In the heat of summer, a growing number of ...

Wildlife in Southwest Florida can face an array of challenges in order to survive. Natural predators, hurricanes, vehicles and the constant growth and development taking place that impacts their ...

When Samantha S. and her family bought just over 2 acres in Middleburg, FL, in September 2021, they thought they’d found the perfect place to put down roots. The wooded lot, just minutes from Jennings ...

Two gopher tortoises were spray painted with bright colors in Naples, Florida, causing a local conservancy to rush to their aid Conservancy of Southwest Florida An act of vandalism could have a ...