We've had two gopher tortoises on our property for several years. The large one has a burrow on the front of our property beside the driveway and we see him/her (we call it Myrtle) frequently. A smaller one dug a burrow across from the front of our house also beside the driveway and I hadn't seen it for a couple of years until today. We've signs posted in both locations and are super, super careful when we're driving in and out. It's a joy to have them here.
Another burrow has recently appeared inside our fenced yard. I thought maybe the smaller one was moving, but no, there is an even tinier tortoise in it. Who knows, maybe word got out on the tortoise grapevine that it's a safe life here. My question is how should we restrict (or not) our activities in the vicinity of this burrow. I had mowed that portion of the yard right before he or she moved in. It's not an area we use much. The only advantage to keeping it mowed is that we see fewer snakes with it cut and I don't have to stomp through knee-high weeds to water a tree I've got planted there. I've also got a birdfeeder several fenceposts down and I have to walk right by to fill it. Should I mow this area? Was the fact that it was mowed what encouraged the little tortoise to move here? Leave the feeder empty?
I also noticed that it sat at the opening today, but would not come out. It's quiet here usually during the week, but a little noisier on the weekends. I don't want him to starve all weekend because it's afraid of us, even when we are nowhere near it. I appreciate any thoughts and opinions you all might have on this matter. Thank you.
Gopher Tortoise Question
http://www.gophertortoise.org/
http://www.gophertortoisecouncil.org/about.php
I googled and looked around for a while but did not find an answer to your question. What an interesting animal! These links may take you to folks that can answer your question.
We talked amongst ourselves yesterday and I believe that we are going to have to keep this mowed. It would quickly grow up in brambles and the tortoise would have to make "tunnels" through it. One of those articles also talked about how tortoises weren't suited to areas that practice fire suppression. That pretty much answers my question. I can cut back to the mowing to an afternoon every couple of months. And hopefully, it'll will get a little more used to its "noisy" neighbors.
The highlight of our homecoming every afternoon is to see Myrtle at the head of the driveway. Usually he/she is halfway out of her burrow, but sometimes we catch her up on her mound. It is pretty neat.
Thanks.
Yeah, one of the articles that I read said that they like "open" ground and all of the pic's showed just a few bits of grass and a lot of sand. You may be able to mow more often than you think, especially if you "burn" the grass by mowing it very, very short right around the burrow.
I imagine that gophers are like most animals and like to eat the tender new growth on plants - little grass there, but lots of chickweed and blackberry. I'll just think of it as keeping his yard clean and keeping a smorgasbord going.