Gopher tortoises live in well-drained sandy areas with a sparse
tree canopy and abundant low growing vegetation. They are commonly
found in habitats such as sandhill, pine flatwoods, scrub, scrubby
flatwoods, dry prairies, xeric hammock, pine-mixed hardwoods, and
coastal dunes which have historically been maintained by periodic
wild fires. When fire is suppressed in gopher tortoise habitat,
small trees, shrubs, and brambles begin to grow making it difficult
for the gopher tortoise to move around and eventually shade out the
low growing plants that gopher tortoises eat.
Gopher tortoises have adapted to living in dry habitats with
frequent fire occurrence by digging burrows deep into the sandy
soil. The burrows which average 15ft long and 6.5ft deep, provide
the gopher tortoise with refuge from wildfires as well as heat,
cold, drought, and predators.
This cache was placed by a member
of the
Florida Geocaching
Association