# What Species Is This?



## sashacordova11 (Sep 3, 2019)

Hello!, I'm new to this forum and desperately need help! I recieved a tortoise as a gift and have no clue what it is. Can someone please help identify what it is. Thank you!


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## SweetGreekTorts (Sep 3, 2019)

sashacordova11 said:


> Hello!, I'm new to this forum and desperately need help! I recieved a tortoise as a gift and have no clue what it is. Can someone please help identify what it is. Thank you!
> View attachment 279925


That looks a lot like a baby Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), which are native to your area. It is my understanding that they are a protected species and are illegal to possess. Did your friend find it or breed it?

Here are some links to some information about them as well as permits.

https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/gopher-tortoise/

https://myfwc.com/license/wildlife/gopher-tortoise-permits/permitting-guidelines/


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## Bébert81 (Sep 3, 2019)

sashacordova11 said:


> Hello!,
> 
> I was recently gifted a tortoise from my friend but I need help identifying what kind of tortoise it is. Please and thank you!


Can we see the belly please?
Seems to be an exotic species.


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## katieandiggy (Sep 4, 2019)

sashacordova11 said:


> Hello!,
> 
> I was recently gifted a tortoise from my friend but I need help identifying what kind of tortoise it is. Please and thank you!



That looks like a Gopher tortoise. 
@Yvonne will be able to tell you more and confirm.


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## Bébert81 (Sep 4, 2019)

katieandiggy said:


> That looks like a Gopher tortoise.
> @Yvonne will be able to tell you more and confirm.


This is my hypothesis too, but we need a belly picture to be sure.


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## sashacordova11 (Sep 4, 2019)

SweetGreekTorts said:


> That looks a lot like a baby Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), which are native to your area. It is my understanding that they are a protected species and are illegal to possess. Did your friend find it or breed it?
> 
> Here are some links to some information about them as well as permits.
> 
> ...


Thanks so much for the help! And yes, my friend came across it alone in her back yard. Well her dog did first and she got it away from him and then brought it to me.


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## sashacordova11 (Sep 4, 2019)

Bébert81 said:


> Can we see the belly please?
> Seems to be an exotic species.


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## SweetGreekTorts (Sep 4, 2019)

sashacordova11 said:


> Thanks so much for the help! And yes, my friend came across it alone in her back yard. Well her dog did first and she got it away from him and then brought it to me.


Ok. It's actually illegal to remove them from the wild, so you'll need to contact authorities and let them deal with it. Don't want you getting into any trouble having it. You can report the found tortoise at toll-free Wildlife Alert hotline at 1-888-404-3922 or text [email protected]


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