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National Geographic Photographer and Speaker

Keyword: Gopher tortoise

Photo: A gopher tortoise near Kissemmee Prairie Preserve State Park.

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A gopher tortoise near Kissemmee Prairie Preserve State Park.

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

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ANI080-00065

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) sits alongside a highway. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

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A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

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A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

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ESA002-00252

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

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ESA002-00253

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

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ESA002-00254

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

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ESA002-00255

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

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ESA002-00256

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, Alabama throughout southern Mississippi, and into eastern Louisiana.

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) a vulnerable (IUCN) and federally threatened species at Zoo Atlanta.

Gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) (US: Threatened, IUCN: Vulnerable) in the southeastern U.S. often end up as roadkill. Invasive fire ants and armadillos prey on their eggs and young, while urban expansion, logging and fire mismanagement degrade tortoise habitat, pushing these reptiles closer to the edge.

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Gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) (US: Threatened, IUCN: Vulnerable) in the southeastern U.S. often end up as roadkill. Invasive fire ants and armadillos prey on their eggs and young, while urban expansion, logging and fire mismanagement degrade tortoise habitat, pushing these reptiles closer to the edge.

A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) at Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia. (IUCN: Vulnerable, US: Threatened)

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A gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) at Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia. (IUCN: Vulnerable, US: Threatened)

Photo: A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system.

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A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, AL, throughout southern MS, and into eastern LA.

Photo: A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system.

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ANI024-00374

A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, AL, throughout southern MS, and into eastern LA.

Photo: A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system.

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ANI024-00373

A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, AL, throughout southern MS, and into eastern LA.

Photo: A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system.

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ANI024-00372

A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, AL, throughout southern MS, and into eastern LA.

Photo: A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system.

Photo

ANI024-00371

A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, AL, throughout southern MS, and into eastern LA.

Photo: A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system.

Photo

ANI024-00370

A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, AL, throughout southern MS, and into eastern LA.

Photo: A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system.

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ANI024-00369

A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, AL, throughout southern MS, and into eastern LA.

Photo: A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system.

Photo

ANI024-00368

A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, AL, throughout southern MS, and into eastern LA.

Photo: A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system.

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ANI024-00367

A gopher tortoise (Geopherus polyphemus) along Hwy 49, a four lane that is one of the busiest in MS. Many tortoises are killed on the road system. This animal is federally listed as threatened from west of Mobile Bay, AL, throughout southern MS, and into eastern LA.

The Florida gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) at the Florida Panther NWR. (IUCN: Vulnerable, US: Threatened)

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The Florida gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) at the Florida Panther NWR. (IUCN: Vulnerable, US: Threatened)

The Florida gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) at the Florida Panther NWR. (IUCN: Vulnerable, US: Threatened)

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The Florida gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) at the Florida Panther NWR. (IUCN: Vulnerable, US: Threatened)

Photo: Julie Jensen Director of Marketing | WVC O: 866.800.7326 | D: 702.443.9249 | E: j.jensen@wvc.org

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