The gopher tortoise hatchling likely walked through "freshly poured concrete" before a local wildlife center found it Tracey Harrington McCoy is a celebrity news writer at PEOPLE Digital. She has been ...

The fate of the gopher tortoise, Georgia’s state reptile and the only land tortoise in the eastern U.S., has worried conservationists for decades. Habitat loss and other factors have pushed ...

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 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 ...

JEKYLL ISLAND, GA (WTOC) - The Gopher tortoise is the Georgia state reptile but it's facing extinction. But with the help of veterinarians from across the state, one park manager is hoping to bring ...

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 ...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— The Center for Biological Diversity and Nokuse Education, Inc. sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today for denying Endangered Species Act protections to gopher tortoises ...

ROBERTSDALE, Ala. (WKRG) — Once a year, many of us head out to the farm to pick the perfect Christmas tree. At a Christmas tree farm, you expect to see trees, wreaths, and possibly even a petting zoo.

Foresters take their responsibility to guard protected species seriously. When it comes to the gopher tortoise, a keystone species whose burrow provides shelter to more than 300 other types of forest ...