Gopher tortoises are threatened and are a protected species in Florida. It is both illegal and harmful to the health of a gopher tortoise to apply man-made substances to any part of their body or ...

Gopher tortoise rescued by Conservancy of Southwest Florida after being spray painted. Conservancy of Southwest Florida “Paint on any turtle shell is problematic because the carapace is bone ...

The leopard tortoise of East Africa and South Africa has a striking appearance, with juveniles and young adults living up to ...

The tortoise was brought to the center after someone found her in St. Lucie County with her shell coated in polish. Removing it has been a slow, painstaking process.

What to know about the spray-painted gopher tortoises This turtle was taken to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida after it was found with its shell spray painted. According to the Conservancy: ...

An act of vandalism could have a lasting effect on a pair of gopher tortoises in southwest Florida. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida in Naples originally shared in a Nov. 22 Facebook post that the ...

Gopher tortoises share their burrows with more than 350 other species, and are therefore referred to as a keystone species. In Florida, the gopher tortoise is listed as threatened.

If you see an injured gopher tortoise, call 850-921-1030 to report it to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Click here to learn more about gopher tortoises.

LAKE COUNTY, FL (WFLA) – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is offering a reward for information after a gopher tortoise was found completely covered in red spray paint with ...

Also from the Conservancy: This gopher tortoise had a thick layer of spray paint on his carapace, top of head and back right limb. Hospital staff started a protocol to remove the paint. Due to the ...