Keyword: highway 49
Photo
ESA001-00150
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.