what can it be?

[sara]

o.k. I have a friend lives in Florida. every day when she walks, she comes across this tortoise, but doesnt know what kind it is. She will send me a pic of it. My question is, what kind are indiginous to florida? She said its about 18" and a sandy color. No color markings.has a pattern like a soccer ball. It lives just off the trail .it hangs around there, but when people come by it heads for its hole close by. Any ideas without a picture of what it might be? From the picture she took with her cell, it doesnt seem to be perfectly round. kinda looks like like a desert tort. but agian the pic wasnt that good.
what kind are indiginous for that area?

 

[Yvonne G]

They're not native to Florida, but my guess would be a Sulcata from Africa that got too big for someone's yard and they let it go.

The only native Florida tortoise is the Gopher tortoise and they don't get that big. Besides, they're grey.

 

[matt41gb]

I would have to say Gopher Tortoise. They dig holes in which they retreat at any sign of danger. Some can get big. The sandy color is probably the sand that its been hiding in stuck to the shell. Gopher Tortoises are the only tortoise native to Florida.

-Matt

 

[Jacqui]

I will place my bet on the Gopher too. People often get sizes wrong and the hiding in the hole sounds more like them. I would have expected the sulcata to be more bold and stay put with people.

 

[sara]

yup, its a gopher tort. Apparently they are all over by where she lives. She took some kids on a field trip. They herd some funny grunting sounds. when they turned the corner a couple were makeing babies. Needless to say that group of kids got a lesson! still, its nice to see them (the torts) happily living in the wild.

 

[moswen]

HAHAHAHA!!!!!! awesome... it would be nice to see torts living happily in the wild, i agree.

 

[armandoarturo]

Thats really cool!, Its been a while since the last time I saw a tortoise wandering free around the camp.
tell your friend to send you some pictures!
we would love to see them!!

 

[tczar]

last summer in cocoa beach fl, we came across a dark 15 lb tortoise living in the sea oats right off the beach. wish i would have taken a pic, we saw him several times!!