EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -The gopher tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus, is the state reptile of Georgia.

Detailed explanation-2: -Georgia’s state reptile is a gopher tortoise. This honor was given in 1989 and for good reason. Gopher tortoises are a keystone species.

Detailed explanation-3: -These slow-and-steady reptiles are team players, sharing their burrows with more than 360 other species of the U.S. Southeast, which take over the burrows after the tortoises move out.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Gopher Tortoise: A Keystone Species Georgia’s official state reptile, the gopher tortoise is a conspicuous animal in the sandy lands of our Coastal Plain region. Gopher tortoises dig deep, long burrows that provide critical shelter for them and hundreds of other animal species.

Detailed explanation-5: -Gopher tortoises are so named because of their ability to dig large, deep burrows. They have specialized shovel-like front legs that help them to dig, and their back legs are strong and sturdy.